LOVERS OF ICE AND SNOW: a Jelsa fanfiction
by TheDo
Summary: Elsa is the first female ruler of Arendelle, governing on her own; and the counsellors that have led the country do not intend on letting their power go that easily. Meanwhile, Jack Frost is just becoming used to being a Guardian when the threat of fear spreads across the land again- and this time, Pitch is after a weapon that could destroy them all: the Girl Born of Ice and Snow.
1. The Alliance

_**Note**_ : Hi guys, welcome to this fic! This is a Jelsa fanfiction, (I'm obsessed, not denying it) so this is a romance but with plenty of other stuff going on too! There's going to be swearing and more adult themes though, so if you're under fifteen you might want to be careful. Anyway, this takes place the December after Elsa has become Queen and Jack a Guardian (I'm not respecting the timeline at all) and I really hope you like it. Enjoy!

 **Chapter 1: The Alliance**

Elsa looked out of the library window, and sighed. It was the start of December, which meant that Arendelle's landscape was covered in brilliant white snow. Even inside the library, with a roaring fire in the grate not far from the comfortable armchair she sat in, it was freezing.

But the cold had never bothered her, and the library was the only place in the whole castle empty of anyone. Everywhere else was a whirlwind of servants preparing for their guests.

She turned back to the book she was reading, and though her eyes skimmed over the letters, the words didn't wash over her as they usually did. She slammed the book shut, frustrated. Even her books couldn't distract her of the situation.

It had been a few months now since she'd come back to being queen alongside Anna, and she'd quickly understood that even without her powers, her reign would have been complicated. She had discovered that she was the only woman to reign Arendelle alone since… well, ever. Princesses had always been married off, so that a husband would reign for them. And the regents that had watched over the kingdom had a similar idea for Elsa's future. No matter how hard she tried to govern, they would always send her back to helping the preparations for Anna and Kristoff's wedding, or some other thing that wouldn't at all benefit the inhabitants of Arendelle. They never informed her of important decisions, and when she tried to make some, she was vetoed by the whole cabinet- though her ideas weren't _so_ bad.

But the worst of it had been yesterday, when she'd stepped into the council room, doing a meeting that they had, again, "forgotten" to mention to her, and they'd all suddenly stopped talking.

"I'd like to know what's going on here." she'd said angrily, as the council members looked hesitantly towards one another. After a long and awkward pause, they'd finally admitted that they were forging an alliance- an _alliance_ , without even talking to her about it beforehand- with the Southern Isles. She had gaped at them. The same Southern Isles that had sent Prince Hans over- who had tried to kill her sister _and_ her. She hadn't had any other explanation than that; she had been ushered out of the room and ordered (yeah, _ordered_ ) to supervise the preparations. For the guests were arriving today, Prince Hans' brothers and their parents.

Great.

At least Hans wouldn't be there, having been banished and forbidden to ever step in her kingdom again, she thought grimly.

She stood up and started pacing. Her kingdom had slipped out of her grasp, only because she was a woman, considered too- she bristled as the words the Council had used to describe her- emotional and not capable of making rational decisions. The _incident_ at her coronation had proved that.

What was worse was, she was completely alone. Anna and Kristoff had been gone for over a month now, traveling the world after Anna had been locked up in the castle for all these years.

Because of Elsa, she reminded herself.

The temperature of the room had dropped, and a hint of ice was spreading across the walls. She crossed her arms, shivering, just as a knock sounded on the door.

"Your Majesty?" said a timid, feminine voice. A young girl, with elbow length blonde hair and large blue eyes entered slowly. She was dressed in the servants' uniform.

"Yes?" she said, approaching the girl and trying to muster a kind smile.

"Your guests are here."

"Already?"

The girl didn't respond, merely ducking her head.

"Fine. I'm coming." Elsa muttered, and passed the girl still frozen in the door frame. She crossed the long corridor and reached the marble staircase. She saw- with horror- that the princes were already inside the castle, being greeted by the council members. She gritted her teeth.

 _Typical._

They'd sent the servant girl too late, and now she would seem like a disrespectful figurehead, a young queen not even capable of being diplomatic; let alone lead a kingdom.

Guards caught sight of her and bowed, trumpets sounding.

"Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle." sounded a valet's voice as she descended the staircase in her most regal manner. She shot a murderous look at the councilmen, who didn't seem impressed.

"Queen Elsa." clucked the man in front of her. His hair was white and his face wrinkled. He wore a dark red coat and a golden crown sat on his head.

The King, then.

He sank into a bow and grabbed her hand, kissing it. She forced down the flinch that his touch provoked and tried to curtsy as graciously as she could.

"Such an honor to finally meet the famous queen. Let me personally apologize for the diplomatic incident last summer, and express my enthusiasm for this new alliance."

Diplomatic incident. _That's one way to put it._

She forced a smile.

"The honor is mine, your Majesty. I trust you'll be comfortable during your stay here." Her gaze wandered behind the King. There was a small lady, who looked half the King's age and, she counted, twelve princes; all tall with a shock of red hair. She would have found them unbelievingly handsome if she hadn't been so wary of them. They nodded at her, and she smiled back. She didn't miss their hungry looks as their eyes wandered over her body, pausing at her hips and breasts.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer," she said, eager to part ways with them, for now at least. "You will be led to your rooms and properly settled down. I look forward to seeing you at dinner tonight."

Before any of them could object, she turned around, her dress swishing at her feet.

...

Jack Frost yelled as the wind ushered him in every direction. You'd think that after a few centuries of flying on the wind's back- literally- he would be more in control, but the truth was, the winds at the Pole were so conflicted and violent, that he was sure that one day, North's yetis would scrape his body off an iceberg.

He could dimly see the northern lights as a torrent of snowflakes snapped around him. He sped forward towards the fortress, navigating through the infernal winds, snowflakes swishing away from him with a single thought. At last his naked feet sank into the cold snow, and he raised his fist to knock on the gigantic oak doors. They swung open, yetis behind.

"Hi Phil," Jack said, passing them. The yeti grunted, watching him menacingly as if to say _don't try anything… or else._ He chuckled, shaking his head.

As he walked towards the huge suspended globe, covered by the lights representing children, he could hear North and Bunny arguing. "Make it quick, North, I have to go back to the barren."

"Easter's been over for _ages_ , Bunny come off it."

"So?! We have to _practice_ painting the eggs."

"I wouldn't have summoned you all here, twenty days before Christmas if it wasn't important."

"You've had all year to prepare!" snapped Bunny.

"Hi guys." he muttered as he emerged into the room, but no one payed him any attention, except Sandy who waved brightly, before turning his attention back to the argument.

"I hope this isn't about your belly," smirked Bunny.

"Well-" North started, sheepishly as Bunny gaped at him.

"You can't be serious. Please be joking. I am _begging_ you-"

"I'm going to side with the Kangaroo on that one," said Jack as they both turned to look at him, both with an intent to murder in their eyes. "Sorry," he said rolling his eyes. "Geez, can't a guy joke around here?"

"Not if the guy in question thinks calling me a Kangaroo is a good joke," snarled Bunny.

" _So_ ," a feminine voice wafted out of the air, as Tooth emerged from the corner where she had been giving orders to her fairies. "Why are we here?" North turned his back on Bunny, and faced Sandy, Tooth and Jack.

"Have any of you heard of a kingdom named the Southern Isles?"

"Vaguely." said Jack. All kingdoms that had the word 'South' in them weren't worth visiting, except to provoke an unexplainable blizzard. But since he'd become a Guardian, which was barely more than a few months ago, he hadn't had time to wreak havoc anywhere. Though he planned on changing that… sometime soon.

"Since the _incident_ with Pitch-"

"Are you talking about the small, insignificant incident where Pitch nearly wiped out all of you?"

"I think he is." muttered Bunny. North didn't like to talk about how close they had been to lose to Pitch, which would have resulted in many broken childhoods.

" _Anyway_ ," North said loudly before Jack could continue, "since Pitch nearly killed us all, though putting it that way seems a little dramatic to me-"

"Sounds accurate to me," muttered Jack. North continued as if he hadn't heard him.

"-I've sent my elves around the globe to hide under children's bed, just to check that Pitch wouldn't try anything."

"You sent the _elves_?! I am so reassured for the children's safety now." Jack said disbelievingly, ignoring the insulted look a small red elf threw his way.

"Don't underestimate their talents as spies, Jack, and I couldn't spare anything better. So, as I was saying before being interrupted for the third time-" he shot a dark look towards Jack, "- the elves have been looking out for anything suspicious. And it seems that nightmares have increased in this area- children have been waking up crying and screaming, calling for their parents…"

"North, children have had nightmares since before Pitch, it happens." Bunny interjected.

"Listen, the increase of nightmare is just happening in that area, which is suspicious, no? And haven't you been listening; they've been waking up _screaming._ And I don't care what you say, but that's definitely not normal."

Bunny seemed skeptical, and Jack couldn't blame him. In the months following Pitch's defeat, North had become a bit paranoid; hiding elves in kids' rooms was only a start. He had enhanced the security around the fortress that was his workshop: training the yetis for battle (as if they needed it) and speculating where Pitch could- or would- strike next. Jack hadn't taking this too seriously- but even he had to admit that North's story was strange.

"It can't hurt to check," he said, cutting Bunny's retort. "If it is Pitch, then we'll be fixed about North's belly. If it isn't, then it'll be a false alarm, and a false alarm is better than Pitch coming back full force."

"Well said, Jack. So, who's going to go?" asked Tooth. Jack looked around the room. Tooth and Sandy, who worked every night were out of the question. It was no use asking North to go twenty days before Christmas, and anyway his sled wasn't exactly inconspicuous, and nobody dared ask Bunny to go.

"Fine," he sighed, resigned. "I'll go. But if this is a false alarm, I'm retiring."

"What happened to _'a false alarm is better than Pitch coming back full force'_?" sneered Bunny. Jack didn't bother answering and only smiled deviously, as his feet took off from the ground.


	2. Military Tactics

**Chapter 2: Military Tactics**

Elsa was walking at a fast pace in one of the corridors. She was dressed in a skin tight dark red dress that reached her ankles. She wore white heels, and a diamond tiara sat upon her braided platinum blonde hair. The servants had insisted upon the tiara and the color of her dress- to remind her guests who was in charge here.

Though she had a nagging feeling that they knew it wasn't her.

The sound of her heels against the tiled floor was evidently loud enough for her to be heard from a mile away, because the tall double doors opened before her, pulled by two guards, before she could reach to open them herself. The King, the Queen and their twelve sons stood up as one around the long white table, but she wasn't fooled at their feigned respect. Candelabras were positioned along the table in such a way that she could see every prince's face as they observed her. She suppressed a shudder and forced a smile.

"Good evening." she said pleasantly as she walked to the head of the table, turning her back to the huge windows that gave a breath-taking view of the royal garden, covered in snow and illuminated by a full white moon and a million stars.

"Good evening, your Majesty." answered the King pleasantly as they all sat down once more.

"How do you find your accommodations so far?" she asked pleasantly as the sound of the clatter of forks and knives filled the room. Servants rushed forward to serve wine.

"Yes please," she said to one of them, and she saw from the corner of her eye the King looking disgusted at her glass. She'd heard rumors that at the Southern Isles, women couldn't drink alcohol, let alone become queen- even just as an honorary position… which was starting to feel like exactly what she was. She saw the King squeeze hard enough the Queen's hand that she flinched in pain when she had reached for her glass. Elsa felt a shudder of rage course through her veins.

"Yes, they are quite agreeable, Queen Elsa-"

"Aren't you taking any wine, your Majesty? I assure you Arendelle's wine is worth tasting." she interrupted the King and spoke directly to the Queen. Elsa noticed that she immediately sat a little straighter, but didn't answer immediately.

"It is not in our customs that women drink alcohol, your Highness," said the King coldly, and Elsa noticed the switch in titles. Majesty was used for kings and queens, whilst Highness was for royal children, princes and princesses.

"Yes well, as we are in my kingdom, you will excuse me if I desire to abide by our customs."

As the King's gaze shifted, and the princes' backs stiffened, she felt that the altercation wasn't so much about women's rights to drink alcohol any more.

"I'm sorry, Queen, but I can't abide to your request." The anger was barely concealed in the King's tone now.

"Fine," she snapped. She knew how to pick her battles, and had decided that it was better to lay down now and let them think she was easily overpowered.

"I'll have some wine, thank you very much."

Elsa looked up, surprised at the voice that had come out of the Queen's mouth. It was small, but quite poised and unafraid. The servant looked uncertainly at Elsa, and she nodded. For the first time, she took a closer look at the Queen. She was quite pretty; her face was covered in freckles and her red hair curled slightly around her face. Her eyes were a stunning green, and she couldn't have been a year older than twenty. She stretched her memory to remember her name; it had surely been mentioned during Hans' trial.

Eleanor. Elsa remembered that she wasn't the mother of the thirteen princes; Queen Anastasia had died giving birth to Prince Hans, and the King had taken a young and fresh new bride days after his wife's funeral. That bride had died just recently (the rumour told that the King had her murdered, because she hadn't be able to give him an heir) and had married Eleanor very recently.

As the young queen took a sip of the wine, the King glowered at her but didn't say anything, probably scared of making a scandal. But Elsa had no doubt that the Queen would dearly pay her moment of rebellion, and despite who she was married to, Elsa couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the girl.

The dinner went on, and though the atmosphere stayed tense, everyone was much more diplomatic… everyone being Elsa and the King. His wife and sons stayed mostly silent during the meal, except when directly called upon by their father.

"My son here, Gregory, is actually the captain of my army, he could teach you a lot about military tactics, your Majesty…"

She had bristled at those words. She had studied hard military and strategy tactics on a battle field since the age of nine, on her father's orders and knew a lot. Though she was sure that an expert could teach her more than a thing or two, the suggestion that she didn't know anything about them made her wonder if they didn't teach anything to princesses in the making in the Southern Isles. Except from having correct dinner manners.

But she didn't rise to the bait and continued smiling and talking pleasantly. She would argue later; for now, her goal was to discover as much as she could about this future alliance. She didn't know if the King knew how much she'd been kept in the dark, so asked strategic questions. The King always avoided the questions though by a simple ' _surely you don't desire to talk about politics now, Queen Elsa_ ,' and returned to a safer subject.

 _Of course I want to talk about politics_ , she seethed. _I'm the Queen._

But she kept her mouth shut during the whole ordeal, swallowing the retorts that came to her. The same words ' _not now, not now, not now_ ' had become a chorus in her mind.

At long last, the dinner ended. She stood up and they all followed suit.

"I greatly enjoyed your company this evening," she said, the words sounding hollow on her tongue, "I look forward to giving you a tour of the palace tomorrow afternoon gentlemen; I bid you a good night." She strode out of the room regally before anyone could answer her or start another conversation about military tactics.

She mounted the stairs, and she felt like it was an eternity before she finally reached her room and slammed the door shut behind her. She stared at her window for a few seconds, before grabbing a pillow and screaming into it. Though the sound was muffled, she felt a little relieved when she finally put the pillow back on her couch, and slumped onto the bed.

She thought about the King, the Queen and the princes, somewhere in the palace right now. She gazed up at the ceiling and thought hard, ignoring the temperature of the room that had dropped a few degrees. She needed to regain control, and quickly. Her country was being governed by a group of men unwilling to admit that if her father had bothered to make her learn military tactics, it wasn't so that she would end up the royal baby maker. And they were fools, complete idiots, to think about making an alliance with the Southern Isles. These were backward people; slavery was still in practice, and she'd seen enough about the way they treated women. Not an ounce of respect, and they couldn't tolerate a woman they couldn't control. They were only polite to her for now, but she knew that they would rise at the first occasion to beat her down. No, there was definitely only one reason why these men would be here…

And then it hit her.

 _They want Arendelle._

She got up and paced the room. She'd rather die than let her people fall between their hands and be subjected to those kind of laws…

But then, maybe that was exactly what they wanted.

...

Jack gripped his staff as he flew South. Soon enough, he could feel the wind around him become warmer. He glimpsed, from high above, red roofs, sandy beaches, and green trees.

So this is the Southern Isles, he thought to himself as he made himself drop towards the ground, the wind catching him every few feet. When at last he landed on a roof, he was greeted by the sight of a few boys playing in the street with a dusty, old ball.

"Hey little guys," he said, but not loud enough that they could hear. Though more and more children had started to believe in him, something told him that here, where winter was virtually non-existent, he'd be lucky if a few children would have even heard about him.

He sat on the roof and observed the boys. Now the only thing to do was wait for nightfall, which was only an hour away, and wait until the children fell asleep. He would see then if these nightmares were the product of the children's imagination, or something much darker.

Just then, a shout echoed down the alley as a woman rushed towards the children. The mother of one of them, he guessed, and he frowned as she ushered the children away, throwing worried glances behind her back. He frowned as he leaned over the edge of the roof.

"What is she doing?" he muttered to himself. Indeed, he couldn't see why she wouldn't want her children playing outside on such a sunny day, not a shadow of danger anywhere in sight…

That's when he heard them.

Savage shouts echoing down the streets reached his ears. He flew to the next roof, and then to the next, following the shouts.

"JOIN THE ARMY NOW! ALL BOYS OF THE AGE TEN AND OLDER ARE REQUIRED TO JOIN! COME TO FIGHT FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR COUNTRY!"

Jack's jaw dropped. _Ten?_ Was this a bad joke, or were they all barking mad?

At last he came in view of the shouting men. There were about twenty of them and seemed to be soldiers, all dressed in uniforms; they were all banging on doors, shouting their horrible message as if it was as anthem. He was suddenly very glad he was invisible.

He watched, horrified, as a child was pulled from his home by one of the soldiers, as his mother shrieked.

 _Geez, what is this place?_

The soldiers moved to another street, and Jack followed them, still reeling from what he was seeing. When they arrived in front of the home where the little boys that had been playing football had disappeared into, he couldn't help it. With a swish of his staff he froze the door shut. The soldier tried to pull it open, and finally gave up, moving on to the next home. Jack breathed in relief and continued following them. He couldn't freeze all the doors however; if none of the homes would be accessible to the soldiers, they would get suspicious and find a way to open them anyway… and he suspected that that would end badly for the family's inside.

Well, more bad than it was now, anyway.

But he had to force himself not to do it, though he tried to freeze as many doors as he could. Hopefully, the ice would soon melt, because he didn't know how to melt ice and the families would be stuck inside until it had melted.

 _Better they're stuck than having to watch their children get kidnapped._

There was no other word for it, these kids were being kidnapped. The soldiers had rounded up about seven kids, and all seemed to be quivering with fear, though trying to put on a brave face. Jack couldn't help but feel impressed at their bravery.

"That's enough," finally said a soldier that appeared to be in charge, "They'll do for now. We'll come back for more later. Let's lead this bunch back to the castle."

By now, dusk had fallen, and the last orange rays of the sunset glistened on the streets, illuminating the skies in streaks of violet, orange and pink. It was a magnificent sight- or it would have been, if Jack had bothered to watch it. He was too busy gliding behind the soldiers, and too focused on staying near the children, trying to fool himself into thinking he could protect them. But if none of them could see him, he'd probably be doing more damage than not.

His sense of foreboding increased as he looked up the hill they'd been climbing for half an hour. An imposing fortress stood before him. It was nothing like North's hideout which, though it was enormous, had a certain warmth emanating from it. This fortress was different; it had a cold, creepy air about it, and did nothing to ease the knot in his stomach. As they entered, Jack's anxiety only grew.

It was completely round, and everything bustled with activity. The courtyard was filled with men- mostly redheads- and several women passed them, keeping their gazes averted. The men were shouting and stamping their feet, and Jack saw a man advance on a platform. He, too, had red hair, and wore a white jacket. The crowd immediately fell silent, and men bowed down. A King then, or something not far from that.

Jack saw the teenagers being ushered to the front of the crowd and forced to bow, as the man looked down at them.

He instantly hated him.

"I am your Prince Hans, and whilst my father and brothers are in enemy territory, I am your sole and unique chief. You will obey me, respect me, protect me."

 _Someone has issues._

"You have been taken from your homes to join your country's army," continued Prince Hans, his voice louder so that it carried across the whole courtyard, "and you will have the great honor to give your life to your country during the war against Arendelle and its monstrous, hideous and dangerous Ice Queen."

Jack descended into the courtyard, nobody could see him anyway, and edged closer. This was getting more and more interesting by the minute. He racked his brains, struggling to remember if he'd ever heard about a kingdom named 'Arendelle', and he remembered vaguely a kingdom where it snowed nine months out of twelve. He'd rarely been there; they didn't need him, weather disruptions like blizzards happening every other week. But what was this about a monstrous, hideous and dangerous Ice Queen?

"I have personally met the Queen, and I can testify that she is the cruelest human being- if she is that- I have, and will, ever meet. We have to destroy her before she starts a war herself to overtake our kingdom," the Prince gave a dramatic pause; and then he screamed: "DEATH TO THE ICE QUEEN!". The shout echoed down the courtyard as the men repeated it, louder and more savagely. He didn't know who this 'monstrous' Ice Queen was, but she was in some deep trouble.

He flew to the ramparts and sat down, his leg swinging and his staff over his shoulder. Well, at least he knew now that Pitch had nothing to do with the nightmares; who wouldn't wake up screaming when their brothers could be taken from them any second? To fight in a war, no less, and when it was very clear that they probably wouldn't make it out alive?

Because whoever this ice queen was, she seemed to be ruthless and merciless, someone who wouldn't feel any remorse about murdering these children.

He had to do something, he realized. He was on this earth to protect these children; it was the only reason he still existed, three hundred and nineteen years after his birth.

Finally making his decision, he threw himself from the roof and lurched himself, pushed by the full force of the wind, towards the Pole.


	3. The Girl Born of Ice and Snow

**Chapter 3: The Girl Born of Ice and Snow**

Jack Frost's feet landed on the red carpet in front of the Globe. The room was dark; it was the first time he saw the Globe like that, completely silent, and no yetis in sight. He didn't even dare talk too loud.

"North?" he called slowly. He felt watched, and every nerve on his body tingled. He turned on himself slowly, his staff brandished in front of him. He had no idea where North slept, and had just decided that he would check his office, when a cold voice sounded around him.

"Hello, Jack."

He spun towards the voice, but nothing but darkness greeted him. Yet he'd recognized it instantly.

"Pitch." he said in a grave voice, his eyes searching the darkness surrounding him. Was it his imagination, or did the blackness become deeper, and press on him from all sides?

Laughter greeted him as Pitch emerged, every bit as pale, tall and threatening as Jack remembered him, dressed in black robes. With a shout, he swung his staff, sending sharp ice in his direction… but the ice passed straight through Pitch's figure. He laughed.

"Did you really think that I would be foolish enough to come physically to the Pole? This is merely a projection of me, your deepest fear."

"You're not my deepest fear." snarled Jack.

"Oh Jack," sighed Pitch, "We could have been such a pair you and I, if you hadn't allied yourself with those fools."

Jack didn't answer, still brandishing his staff towards Pitch, though he knew it was no use.

"So, you've seen my army in the Southern Isles."

"That was _you_?!"

"Yes," Pitch chuckled darkly, "That was me. I have allied myself with the Southern Isles… we have a common goal, after all."

"And what's that?"

"Where would be the fun in telling you, dear Jack?"

Jack didn't answer immediately.

"A child army. I didn't think even you would sink that low."

"It's quite genius when you think about it. War brings out the worst in people, and their worst fears… this war will never end, and my reign shall be eternal."

"And that Ice Queen is on your side, is she?" Jack spat. There was a pause, and then Pitch laughed maniacally.

"You don't _know_?"

"Know what?!"

"Seems like your fellow guardians haven't let you in on all their secrets, if you don't know about the treasure hidden in Arendelle."

"What are you talking about?!" he shouted angrily.

"I'm talking," he whispered menacingly, drawing nearer to Jack, "about the girl born of ice and snow."

And before Jack could call him back, could ask more questions, Pitch had gone and the room was illuminated again, the huge Globe's lights illuminating the room.

"Jack?" North's voice called out as he emerged from the room, wearing a night cap. Jack would have teased him at the sight, if he wasn't so grave.

"Pitch was here."

" _Again_?!"

"He's starting a war, North. The Southern Isles- they're building a child army and they plan on marching on Arendelle-"

North stared at Jack and then marched towards him, took him by the shoulders and shook him hard.

"Are you sure he talked about Arendelle?!" he said urgently. "Are you _completely_ sure?!"

"Geez, North, _yes_! Let me go!"

North immediately let go and paced the room.

"Did he say anything else? Why he wanted to invade Arendelle?"

"He- he talked about a treasure hidden in Arendelle-"

Pitch's words came back to haunt him: _Seems like your fellow guardians haven't let you in on all their secrets, if you don't know about the treasure hidden in Arendelle…_

"North, who is the girl born of ice and snow?"

North's eyes met his.

"He talked about her, did he?" he said gruffly, before lifting a hand to stroke his beard, a sign that he was particularly distressed. He walked over to the lever that summoned the other Guardians, and pushed it down hard, before turning back to Jack.

"Better wait for the others, Jack, I don't think I can explain on my own."

Jack leaned back. What was this about? North's attitude increased his own worry; what hadn't they told him?

He felt a spark of anger course through his veins.

Barely ten minutes after the summons, everyone was in the Globe room. North explained quickly to them what Jack had already told him. Jack stayed completely silent while the others gasped.

"You really have to reinforce the security on this place, mate. That's the second-time Pitch has pulled a stunt like this." said Bunny.

"He also talked about Arendelle." North said gravely, and the reactions on the Guardians' faces were immediate. Tooth gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth; Sandy floated higher, so that his head reached North's; Bunny's feet stamped the ground very fast. Tooth threw an uncertain glance Jack's way, and it was that more than their reactions that pulled Jack out of the numbness he'd felt since Pitch had disappeared.

"Am I a Guardian or not?" he asked forcefully.

"Jack- of course you are-"

"Did the Man in the Moon choose me or not to do this?"

"Yes- you know he did, Jack-"

"Then _why_ are you keeping secrets from me?" he shouted. "Do you not consider me one of yours? Do you _want_ me to learn important things- and this seems important, seeming as how all of you reacted- through _Pitch_?"

"Of course not, Jack, and I get why you're angry, but-"

"But WHAT, Tooth? Have I not proved myself? Do you not consider me a true Guardian yet?"

That was his deepest fear- that after everything, he still wasn't one of them. Pitch had known that.

"Of course we do, of course we do!" Tooth said urgently. "Let us explain! Don't you see that's exactly what Pitch wants, for us to fight!"

Jack opened his mouth to retort but North's booming voice interrupted them both.

"Twenty-one years ago, the harshest winter I've ever seen traveled through the world. Families had barely enough to eat, people were dying of cold and you would find them in the morning, blue skinned and cold as ice."

Jack remembered that winter. It had been horrible, and he'd restrained from doing any more damage than the nature was already doing. Bunny shivered at the memory, and Sandy looked downcast.

"On the coldest night of that winter, the coldest night since… well since the night you were resurrected, Jack, a baby girl was born. We don't know how, because it wasn't Manny that gave her powers, but she was born with magic so powerful it could condemn an entire land to eternal winter."

Jack shivered. He'd thought that Ice Queen was just a nickname, but evidently it was much more than that.

"Manny told us to keep an eye on her. And we did… at least at first. You see she grew up to be a lovely little girl. A princess in her own right, and she used to only use her powers to play with her little sister- but one day she hurt her sister pretty badly. By accident," North added, seeing the look on Jack's face, "And her parents isolated her from the rest of the world. They thought they were doing the right thing and we admit- we thought they were doing the right thing too."

"What did they do?" asked Jack, and he realized he was afraid of the answer.

"They separated her from her little sister. Kept her in her room at all times. She had to wear gloves and was taught not to feel… so her emotions wouldn't trigger a dangerous release of her powers. Every time her powers got out of control, someone would hit her, so that she would be afraid to use them. Of course, she couldn't always control-"

"You can't be serious," Jack said with horror. "And you guys thought that was okay?!"

"You have to understand Jack, we'd never been confronted to such a thing before." intervened Tooth.

"But she was a _child_! I thought we were supposed to protect children from exactly that kind of thing!"

"We didn't know what to do! We didn't have a choice!"

"BULLSHIT!" he roared. They were all taken aback, and looked at him with round eyes. "If I've learned something these past few months is that we _always_ have a choice!"

"We thought it was helping her-"

"What?! To teach a little girl to be afraid of herself?! To teach her that she was different, that she couldn't be like everyone else because of something she couldn't help!" his voice was becoming unnaturally high. He remembered how he'd felt so alone for centuries- so unnatural- a phantom with strange powers, that nobody would ever see- and he couldn't help but feel connected to this child they were talking about.

"Why did Pitch call her the girl born of ice and snow?" he asked abruptly. His friends hesitated.

"Because- because her powers are of ice and snow."

"And Pitch wants her," he said, thinking aloud, "to beat me."

"You're the one that stopped him last time. With her on his side, he'd be- he'd be invincible." said Tooth.

"But why wage war on her? Why not just bargain with her? Give her something she'd do anything for?"

"Because no matter how much she'd want something, Elsa would never, _ever_ help Pitch. She loves her people, and her kingdom, and they pass above any of her personal needs."

 _Elsa_. He noted her name in the back of his mind.

"You seem to know her well."

"Sandy told us." said Bunny.

The Sandman knew instinctively what a person's deepest dream and aspiration was, kind of like the way Pitch always knew people's deepest fears.

He turned his back on Bunny, Tooth, Sandy and North.

"Where are you going?" asked North.

"I have to warn her."

"No- no Jack, you don't understand-"

"What? What don't I understand?" he snapped, spinning back to face them.

"She won't believe you. She won't trust you. She's been to hell and back-"

"And who's fault is that?!" asked Jack angrily.

"-people have tried to assassinate her in the past, and she's built a wall around herself, to protect herself as much as her kingdom. I've only seen her sister get past her defenses."

Jack paused.

"I still have to go." he whispered, shaking his head. "You didn't see the Southern Isles. They want her dead, and if Pitch wants to use her- there's nothing you can say to stop me."

The other guardians didn't answer immediately.

"Very well, Jack," North finally said. Tooth and Bunny looked at him in amazement, but Sandy's eyes twinkled. "But don't tell her who you are straight away. Earn her trust first. Or she won't listen to you, and this will all have been for nothing."

Jack nodded, and before they could change their minds, ran out of the room and the fortress. He didn't spare a glance backwards as his feet left the ground. He cleared any thought from his head as the wind propelled him towards the kingdom of Arendelle.


	4. The Lost Tiara

**Chapter 4: The Lost Tiara**

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut as a servant pulled open the drapes of her windows, letting the morning winter sun pour in.

"Your Majesty?" said a timid voice, and she groaned, burying her face in her pillow. "Your Majesty, a letter arrived for you."

Immediately, she whipped her eyes open and sat up on her four-poster bed, her body sinking into the criminally comfortable mattress.

"Is it from the Princess? Is it from Anna?" she asked breathlessly, taking the letter from the girl's hands and ripping it open.

 _Elsa,_

 _We're in Center Africa right now. You should see the weather here… I don't think even you could make it snow!_

 _Kristoff was bit by a snake, but he's okay now; I'm fine, don't worry._

 _I can't write long letters, because then they'll take much too long to get back to you. We're coming home soon, I promise._

 _Miss you!_

 _Anna._

Elsa re-read the short letter about five times before squeezing it to her chest, her trembling hands crumpling the yellow paper. A lump had formed in her throat.

She missed Anna so much it hurt, and she hadn't ever needed her more than now. If Anna was here, she would know what to do; she'd make the regents and the situation with the Southern Isles bearable.

She got out of her bed, her white nightgown swishing around her bare ankles.

She had to pull herself together. Anna wasn't here, and lamenting on that wouldn't help her in the slightest; she would have to find a solution on her own. Still, she couldn't help but wonder how soon 'soon' was.

A few minutes later, servants were bustling around her, dressing her for the day.

When they finally left her alone again, she risked a look into the mirror. She was in a royal blue gown, that was decorated in lace blue snowflakes. The dress was tight fitted on her upper body, and was held by straps on her shoulders; at her waist, the skirts became full and reached the floor. Her hair was brushed and shiny, but not tied up, and a silver tiara sat upon her head.

She bit her lip as she observed herself. The servants didn't usually dress her up this much. Was this because of her guests, or was there another reason?

She shook herself.

 _Stop being so paranoid._

As she had nothing to do until after noon, when she would give the King and Queen a tour of the castle, she sat down at her desk. Polls and newspaper cuttings covered it. They were all about Arendelle's habitants. What they thought about the educational system, the merchandise that Arendelle imported, their salaries…

But, over the newspaper cuttings were stash on stash of papers, all marked by date. They were the law propositions that Elsa was working on. What she wanted to change in her kingdom, if the regents would only let her.

She sat down and continued one labeled 'salary raise for teachers', and worked on it until the sun was at its zenith in the sky. She was so immersed in her work that she didn't hear the pounding on her door until it creaked open.

"Your Majesty? I'm sorry to disturb you, but it's time for the tour of the castle."

"Already?!" she said, surprised, and her eyes flashed to the clock. She jumped up and followed the servant out of the room.

"Thank you so much for coming to get me, Katie." she thanked the girl, and walked fast in the corridors.

Ten minutes later, she was at the bottom of the staircase and saw the King, Queen, and the twelve princes already waiting for her.

"You look beautiful today, Queen Elsa." the King complimented her.

"Thank you," she said, but she wasn't looking at him; instead she looked, horrified, at the Queen's face. Her right eye was half-closed, and a purple ring surrounded it. Had the King hit her? His own wife, and just for a drink of wine?

A new kind of hatred simmered through her veins, and she fought to keep control of her voice as she said;

"Shall we start with the Gardens, then?" She was pleased to see that her voice didn't shake at all.

The tour was long and painful, filled with meaningless small talk. She thought she would die from a mix of frustration and boredom. She only wanted to talk about the alliance, of the true reason they were here, but some instinct, buried deep inside her, stopped her.

When at long last it ended, she bid them a good evening and how she looked forward to seeing them at dinner tonight, and strode up back to her room. She was in the corridor that led to it when she stopped suddenly. She was quite sure she was alone, yet she felt watched. Suddenly, she felt a shadow whizz past her, and she turned, her hair whipping around. But there was nothing but an open window. Elsa looked around, before approaching the window slowly. She leaned over the ledge, squinting through the darkness- the sun had already set- and thought she saw a flash of blue and white-

"Your Majesty?"

She spun around, banging her head on the top of the window and felt her tiara fall from her head and through the window.

 _Shit._

"Yes, Katie?" she asked pleasantly, massaging her head. She could have sworn she heard a quiet chuckle behind her, and turned back to the window- but only the peaceful landscape greeted her eyes, so she turned back to the small servant girl. She'd go looking herself for the tiara later.

"The regents summoned you to the council room."

She bristled at the word 'summoned'- she was the Queen for God's sake- but nodded and set off down the corridor again. Whatever did they want to tell her, just before dinner?

She still felt watched, and cast an uneasy glance at the windows as she walked past them, the sound of her heels against the tiles echoing down the corridor. Guards stationed in front of the double doors leading to the council room opened the doors for her, and she saw the council members stand up as one around the large, perfectly circular table where they'd been in deep conversation.

"Your Majesty," said Counselor Archimedes. He was the oldest of the seven regents, and unofficially the one in charge. There was also Counselors Hugo, Terence, Reginald, Wentworth, Fitzwilliam and Nicodeme, all older than fifty years old.

She nodded her head at Counselor Archimedes, before sitting down at the head of the table. They all sat down once she was seated, but before any of them could speak however, she addressed them.

"This has got to stop. Meetings without me can't carry on anymore. I am your _Queen_ , and decisions without me being alerted about them or having approved them can't be done- and you can't summon me anywhere. If you want to have a council meeting, schedule it and don't do them without me, your _leader_."

They all flinched at the words 'your leader' and she nearly threw her arms upwards in exasperation. What was so horrible and threatening for them about bowing down to a woman?!

"With all due respect, your Majesty, we think you are not yet capable to rule-"

"And I will _never_ be if you never let me rule!" she snapped. "I'm quite sure your predecessors didn't pose this much difficulty when my father came to the throne!"

"With all due respect, my Queen, your father wasn't a woman."

"Thank you so much for that information," she snapped, rolling her eyes.

"We don't yet know if you are capable of controlling your powers, let alone rule a kingdom!" the counselor continued, as if he hadn't heard her.

A mumble of assent traveled through the counselors. She trembled with contained rage.

"It's been months. There hasn't been _one_ incident since June, I can perfectly control them-" but she paused, gaping as she saw a boy, with a shock of white hair and haunting blue eyes materialize in the air, floating a few feet above one of the counselors. They made eye contact and she saw a shock to rival her own in his eyes; then, just as suddenly as he'd appeared, he'd vanished. She shook herself back to her senses. These men were making her lose her mind.

"Still, your Majesty, we think it preferable if you'd take a husband as quickly as possible, to rule by your side."

She slammed her hands on the table as she stood up suddenly, glaring at each one of them.

"You don't want me to take a husband to rule by my side! You want me to take a husband who will rule _for_ me, so you can have a King to join your old boys club!" she said, exasperated. For the second time, the boy appeared, and she saw he was grinning, amusement twinkling in his eyes… but this time he didn't disappear. Trying to regain her composure and to stop her gaze from flitting to him, she stared determinedly at the counselors. Was she going completely mad?

"We think it is a good idea if you indeed take a husband to counsel and aid you through this difficult time-"

"But don't you see? I don't need _help_ , or not the kind you're offering at least. I just need you to let me rule. I have a ton of ideas; I want to raise teacher's salary, provide free daycare for small children whose parents' need to work, install an insurance that will reimburse all health fees, like doctors and medicine-"

"This just proves how unexperienced you are!" intervened Counselor Terence, "We don't have the money to do all that!"

"That's not true. I've calculated the cost and we have enough of money-"

Actually, they would have enough of money if she reduced the unreasonably tremendous salaries that went straight to the pocket of these men every month.

"Queen Elsa, we do not live in a dictatorship, and you are overruled by seven votes-"

"Oh, come _on_ -"

"THAT'S ENOUGH, ELSA!"

She looked in bewilderment at Counselor Archimedes. He had known her since she was a child, and she had loved him very much before understanding that he wasn't on her side at all. He used to hit her when she lost control of her powers, and some part of her was still terrified of him. Their relationship had only worsened since her coronation, but he had always addressed her with at least a semblance of respect. But now, he glowered at her.

She stood up straighter, and lifted her head.

"That's _Queen_ Elsa to you. I am not a child you can scold, Archimedes." she said quietly, barely concealing the anger in her voice. "I am the Queen of Arendelle."

"Well start acting like it. Your duty as queen is to sire an heir."

She gaped at him.

"I'm _twenty-one_ , there's plenty of time for that-"

"And we have found you a king. This alliance with the Southern Isles... it is a marital one."

She risked a glance up, to see if the boy was still there. He was, floating in mid-air, looking in disbelief at the counselors.

She turned her attention back to the counselors.

"I can't believe you're doing this," she said, "Need I remind you that Prince Hans planned on assassinating princess Anna and I?!"

"It is no use to dwell on the past-"

"The _past_?! It was six months ago!" she gaped at them. This was getting out of hand.

"That doesn't change the fact that the Southern Isles is a very powerful kingdom, your Majesty. You can choose which of the thirteen princes you'd like to wed-"

"How very generous of you," she said sarcastically, and she heard a snort coming from the boy.

"But the wedding will happen, your Majesty. The Southern Isles threaten war if it doesn't."

"You can't be serious. They're threatening _war_?! And why am I only hearing about this threat now?!"

"We are not going to engage in another debate with you, your Majesty," retorted Archimedes, no feigned respect in his tone at all now. She looked at him in disbelief. "You have until the annual Christmas Ball to decide which prince you shall wed, and we will announce then the alliance."

She stared at them.

"You fools. You idiotic, moronic fools."

And with that, she whipped around, and exited the room, slamming the doors behind her.

After leaving the council room, she'd gone back to her rooms nearly running, had swung open her huge wardrobe and taken her warmest cloak. It was thick and white, with white fox fur sewed to its edges. She'd then taken a short cut through the castle only a few servants knew about and had luckily not crossed the path of anyone. She'd emerged into the snow-covered garden, the moon shining down on her. Incapable of thinking clearly, she'd stumbled to the spot where she'd thought her tiara had fallen. Trembling, from the cold or the aftermath of the council meeting, she bent down and dug with her bare hands into the snow, but the tiara wasn't there. It had been her mother's, she recalled dimly, she had to find it, had to find it-

But it was no use. The tiara wasn't there anymore. Maybe someone had stolen it.

She felt tears stinging her cold cheeks. She was no use- she couldn't find her tiara, couldn't say no to the counselors, couldn't rule her own kingdom…

She buried her face in her hands as she struggled to regain control. Snowflakes fell around her, and she didn't know if it was truly snowing or if she was losing control. She was fairly sure no one was in the Gardens, but still…

Then she heard a concerned voice behind her.

"Are you looking for this?"

...

After leaving the Pole, Jack had flown a good deal of the day. Though Arendelle wasn't far from the Pole, he'd realized a half an hour after leaving the other Guardians that he had no idea where Arendelle was. He'd had to stop in Greenland, and had passed a few hours searching for a kid that could see him. Finally, he'd seen a child who'd gaped at him as he'd flown past him, and the kid had brought him back a map. Turned out Arendelle was somewhere between Greenland and Norway, and he'd backtracked. He'd arrived at sunset, and had flown high up to see where the palace was.

He'd finally seen it, and had gotten into the castle by an open window. He had stayed there a few minutes, wondering where to go next, when he'd heard the sound of heels on tiles coming his way. A few seconds later, a girl had turned into the corridor.

He'd heard his breath hitch.

Her platinum blonde hair fell on her shoulders, surrounding her face. Her eyes were gigantic and blue, the same shade as her dress. She was incredibly elegant, and his eyes had dropped to the only thing that was holding her long hair out of her face; a small, silver tiara.

She was stunning.

She'd stopped in the middle of the corridor, and had looked around. That happened sometimes, with young people; they couldn't see him, but they felt the presence of _someone_. He didn't know if this was the queen's sister or the queen herself, but he had to think of a plan to make her see him. For now, though, he'd just have to stay out of her way. He didn't want her to feel stalked.

As he passed her though, she felt her gasp; and that wasn't normal. He flew out of the window, but watched her as she turned towards the window and walked warily towards it, and then leaned over the edge, scouring the darkness.

Definitely not normal.

Then he'd heard a small voice say 'Your Majesty?' (she was the queen then, and Jack wondered if this Hans guy had really met her- _'monstrous and hideous', my ass_ ) and she'd jumped so hard she'd banged her head. Her tiara had fallen, and he couldn't help but let loose a soft chuckle as she'd rubbed her head painfully. She'd shot a look back, as if she'd heard him, and then had walked away.

He couldn't have resisted it if he'd wanted to; he'd followed her. He'd followed her through two corridors and a staircase, and had been behind her when two double doors had opened and she'd walked in, obviously interrupting an important conversation. He'd seen seven men in the room, all looking a good deal older than she was.

He'd watched as she had struggled to make them see reason; as she'd proven to them that she was more capable of looking after her kingdom than all of them reunited- and he'd watched as they wouldn't listen to her, wouldn't even give her a chance, and only because she was a woman. He had been seriously considering throwing a snowball in that Archimedes guy's face; but then her eyes had plunged directly into his. She had gaped at him, stopping mid-sentence, and he'd nearly fell out of the air in shock. She'd forced herself to look away- and he couldn't imagine what amount of self-control had stopped her from shrieking at the counselors that there was a guy floating in mid-air behind them.

But he'd forgotten his shock as he became more and more impressed by the queen. And he'd only met her a few minutes ago. How could these fools not see that she was made for the job?

And then they'd talked about the marriage alliance, and he'd watched her decompose herself. When she'd talked about prince Hans, he'd remembered Tooth's words.

 _People have tried to assassinate her in the past, and she's built a wall around herself, to protect herself as much as her kingdom._

And when she'd left the room, leaving the men behind her insulted and angry, he'd known where she was going and had beat her there, picking the tiara up from where it had fallen on the snow, and had sunk back into a dark corner of the garden. He'd watched as she'd searched desperately, but not daring to make himself known.

What if she wouldn't be able to see him anymore?

But then he'd seen a silver tear rolling down her cheek, and watched as a small snow storm had swirled around her, though it was a clear night.

And before he'd known what he was doing, he'd stepped out.

"Are you looking for this?" he'd asked nervously.

She'd whipped her face out of her hands and now, she was looking at him in disbelief. Before he could say anything more, the tiara was ripped out of his hands by a strong, cold wind and she caught it, holding it so tightly that the edge of her fingers turned white. He gaped at her, and squeezed his staff tighter.

 _She was born with magic so powerful, it could condemn an entire land to eternal winter._

"Who are you?" she breathed.

"Jack Frost," he said, regaining his confidence, "And you are…"

"Elsa." she was still so surprised at his sudden appearance that she'd forgotten to add 'Queen'. He swallowed back a smile.

"Were- were you floating in the air? In the council room?" she managed to get out.

"Yeah- I mean, yes. Yes I was."

"How do you do that?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows. She was more concerned that he could fly than that he had witnessed the meeting, and he saw that she'd relaxed a bit, her shoulders slumping down, though she still held the tiara tightly.

"I don't know," he said, frowning, "I guess the wind just picks me up."

"I've always dreamed I could fly," she said thoughtfully, and he couldn't help but worry she wasn't in her normal state. She was still trembling from the meeting, he saw, and she had a faraway look in her eyes.

"For what it's worth, I think you'd make an excellent queen."

Her eyes flashed up to meet his, and he could feel the shadow of a smile cross over her face.

"Saw that, did you?" she said matter-of-factly, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her.

Suddenly, she whipped her head up, and looked around the Garden, as if realizing they were alone for the first time since the start of their conversation. When she looked at him again, there was something new on her eyes; something that Jack recognized all too well.

Fear.

"Who are you?!" she said suddenly. "Who sent you?!"

 _She won't believe you. She won't trust you._

Jack felt something icy on his wrists, and looked down.

Around his hands and feet were a pair of hard manacles, made entirely out of ice.


	5. The Dark Man's Twin

**Chapter 5: The Dark Man's Twin**

Jack dreamed. He dreamed about his sister; of the fun, brown haired girl and about that fatal day, on the ice. He dreamed about reassuring her, making her see this as a game, pulling her to safety…

He dreamed about falling. Falling through the hard ice and into the dark, icy water; he dreamed about how it had felt, the water so cold that he had felt like his skin was being pierced by a thousand knives; it had been so painful that he'd forgotten who he was; he'd forgotten his name; and he'd blacked out.

He dreamed about a blackness like he'd never felt before; and then a light. A blue light.

A little girl dancing, snowflakes twirling around her.

He woke up gasping. He struggled for a minute to remember what he was doing in an icy cage.

He remembered looking down to see his hands bound together… with _ice_ … and then he'd looked up…

He'd seen a flat piece of ice floating above his head, and before he could say anything to convince the queen that he wasn't there to attack her, he'd been knocked out.

He looked around at his surroundings. He was behind bars, and the cage- entirely made of ice, might he add- even had a ceiling on it, stopping him from flying away.

 _Smart girl_ , he thought, smiling to himself.

Peering beyond the bars, he saw he was in a bedroom; a huge white wardrobe stood in a corner of the room, blue artwork painted on it; a magnificent four poster bed was at the opposite of the room, and a dark blue rug sat on the floor, looking like the most comfortable thing you could set your feet on. A black, full body mirror was next to an armchair near the door, and portraits hung from the walls.

But what made his eyes widen, was the fact that those walls were also covered… in frost. Even the door was sealed, and a few snowflakes seemed to float about the room. His breath came out in smoke, and he looked at the ice covering even the furniture. The sight was so white, so haunting, so _unreal_ , that he could merely gape.

 _Ice Queen indeed._

Then his eyes dropped to the queen herself, asleep in an armchair facing directly his prison. She must have fallen asleep watching him, waiting for him to wake up. She'd changed into a simpler dress; a light blue one that fitted her body perfectly, without full skirts; even he could see that it would allow her more freedom of movement. He noticed the dagger she held tightly, even in sleep, and remembered the expression on her face just before he'd been knocked out.

It hadn't just been fear; it'd been terror.

He couldn't imagine what it was like, to live like that; never allowing yourself to trust anybody; never allowing yourself to let down your guard. He wondered how her sister was, if she was the only one the queen trusted.

As if she felt him observing her, she steered and opened her eyes. She stretched, but then her eyes widened as she saw him, and she stood up quickly, lifting her chin in a regal manner, a cold gaze in her eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked, looking down at him, clutching the dagger tighter.

"I'm- Jack Frost." he answered, eyeing the dagger warily.

"Why can't anyone see you but me?" she said crouching down to be eye level with him.

"I- I don't know. I don't know why _you_ can see me."

"Why can't the others see you?"

"Because they- don't believe in me."

"And I do?" she said suspiciously. At least she wasn't saying he was lying; that had to count for something.

"Yes. Maybe. I don't know."

"Who sent you?" she asked, pointing the dagger underneath his chin.

"Woah! No need for that, Snowflake!" he said. He realised only now that his staff was not in the cage with him.

"What did you call me?!" she said, her nostrils flaring.

"Where's my staff?!" he asked in a panicked voice.

"If you mean that piece of wood you were carrying around-"

"For your information, it isn't just a _piece of wood_ -" he exclaimed, deeply insulted.

"It's safe. I haven't thrown it or anything."

Jack looked around the room, then back to the beautiful queen.

"It's in that wardrobe, isn't it?" he said, nodding towards the wardrobe, flashing a grin at her.

He thought he saw a flash of amusement dancing in her eyes, but then she adjusted her grip on the dagger, and it was gone.

"Who sent you?" she repeated.

"Wha- NO ONE sent me. I swear."

"A lone assassin then; tell me, what did I ever do to _you_?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Why are you just assuming that I want to murder you?!"

"Why would you have gone up to me when I was alone in the garden then?"

"Because I wanted to give you back your crown-" he started, half-exasperated.

"It's a _tiara_." she muttered.

"- and maybe I just wanted to talk to you!"

"Talk to me about what?" she said in disbelief.

"I hadn't quite worked that part out yet; you knocked me out for no reason before I could say anything!"

"You scared me!" she said defensively.

"Sure, because I'm so terrifying." he said, rolling his eyes. She watched him for a few seconds.

"You really didn't want to murder, kidnap or torture me?" she asked tentatively.

"Geez, no!" he exclaimed, before adding in a mumble, "Of course if I had wanted to do those things, I would be saying that too."

She snorted in amusement, and he looked at her. Moonlight illuminated the room, otherwise dark, and shone on her light blond hair; her blue eyes were looking at him with a heart-breaking scrutiny, as if she desperately wanted to believe him, but didn't dare to. She licked her pink lips, the only sign that she was nervous.

"Listen, if you don't believe me, just leave me in this-" he looked uncertainly at his icy prison, "-this cage, until you're absolutely certain that I don't want to gruesomely murder you."

She stared at him. "You'd be willing to do that?"

 _Not that I have much of a choice, Snowflake,_ _ **you**_ _'re the one imprisoning_ _ **me**_.

"As long as you don't take tooooo long- then, yes."

"Well, Jack Frost, you're either the sincerest guy I've ever met, or the best liar."

He grinned at her.

"I'm a bit of both," he said, before she turned away.

...

Elsa woke up to the pounding sounds on her door, and the shouts of guards and servants.

"YOUR MAJESTY! QUEEN ELSA! ARE YOU IN THERE? ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?"

She sprang up from her bed, and hastily pulled on a robe over her night gown as she heard a guard say-

"There's nothing for it, I'm going to have to knock that door down-"

"NO!" she shouted from the other side of the door, "No, I'm fine, Samuel," she said more calmly from inside the room, pressing her face against a crack where the double doors joined, "I just froze the doors shut in my sleep."

"Are you sure, you'll be all right melting the ice on your own, your Majesty?" she heard the concerned voice of the guard named Samuel.

"Perfectly sure, I'm fine. Tell the servants I'll be dressing myself today."

"Very well, my Queen."

She heard the crowd on the other side of the room slowly move away, and she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Does that happen often?" asked a teasing voice from behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around to meet the strange boy's- Jack's- eyes, looking deeply amused. She'd completely forgotten he was there.

"More often than you'd think." she replied, striding to her wardrobe and ruffling through her dresses.

"Sure seems like you've got a lot of people worrying about you," he remarked.

"Well, I am the Queen," she said in an amused voice, before turning back to look at him, horrified, "I mean- I didn't mean that I was worthier of protection than other people-"

But he laughed good-naturedly before saying, "I know what you meant."

Finally picking a dress, she turned back to him.

"Don't look," she ordered.

"Wouldn't dream of it." he grinned, before adding hurriedly, "Not that I wouldn't _want_ to-"

"I know what you meant," she said, smiling, and her heart fluttered a little at his answering wink. She'd forbidden herself to form the thoughts in her head, but he _was_ very handsome. His eyes were a piercing blue, and his white toothed grin was quite seductive. His shock of white hair was strangely beautiful, and only made his face more interesting to look at.

She shook herself back to her senses, checked that he wasn't looking- noticing that he had turned his back to her- and quickly pulled on the simple dress she'd chosen. It was a dark green, that stopped a few inches above her ankle. It was tight fitted on her upper-body, but billowed in loose, casual skirts. She edged her feet into the matching shoes with low heels and turned to the mirror.

"You can turn back now," she said absent-mindedly, as she twisted her hair into a loose braid. When she'd finished, she turned back to Jack, to find him gaping at her.

"What is it?" she asked nervously, turning back to the mirror to check if anything was on her face.

"No- nothing." he said, and edged closer to the bars, running his hand through his hair. He breathed in, and then threw her a look from beneath his eyebrows so intense that her breath hitched- just a bit.

 _Get a grip_ , she seethed at herself.

"So. You ready to let me out, Snowflake?"

"Stop calling me that," she snapped, but her annoyance had for effect only another mischievous smile thrown her way.

 _Geez, he must have broken many hearts with_ _ **that**_ _smile._

"You're used to getting your way with women, aren't you?" she asked, in an unimpressed tone. He lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, it's kind of complicated when women can't see me." He shrugged, stuffing his hands in the front pocket of his… what was _that_?

"It's a sweatshirt," he explained, following her gaze. "It doesn't exist yet."

She stared at him for half a second before deciding against asking more questions about his- his _sweatshirt_.

"What do you mean, they can't _see_ you?"

"I already told you. People don't see me unless they believe in me."

"I don't understand. I can see you, and I haven't even heard of a Jack Frost."

"Ouch," he winced. "Careful Snowflake, you're going to hurt my feelings."

"Sorry," she mumbled. "For what it's worth, I've been locked in a room my whole life."

She saw a dark look flash in his eyes; was it possible he knew, about everything? How her Father had done his best to protect her?

 _No_ , she decided. _No one knows._

The only person who knew a piece of the truth about those dark, lonely years, was Anna, and even she couldn't come close to the truth. But Elsa had decided a long time ago that she wouldn't tell anyone, _ever_ , about what truly happened behind the closed doors of her bedroom.

"I don't know why you can see me. It shouldn't be possible if you don't believe in me. Usually, only children see me."

"Children can see you?" She sat down, cross-legged, just on the other side of the bars. He seemed taken aback at her sudden closeness. "Come on, tell me. Why can children see you?"

He sat down across her, cross-legged too, the bars separating them. But he was close enough to reach for her across the bars, and he could've easily tried to strangle her… but he didn't do anything of the sort, instead only looking a little sheepish- _and adorable_ \- back at her.

"Well…" he started, biting his lip, hesitating. "I don't know if you're going to believe me."

"I have _ice powers._ I'm as open-minded as you can get." she said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. But he seemed to relax, and chuckled softly.

"You do have a point. But you're going to have to bear with me here."

"Try me." she said mischievously, and he cocked his eyebrows.

"Guess I will." he paused, then breathed a long sigh, closing his eyes and rubbing them with his fingers, as if he were preparing himself.

She was getting more and more intrigued by all this.

"So, a long time ago, like- back in medieval times, there was a very evil man called Pitch. No one knows from where he came, but the stories say that when he was human, Pitch had a twin sister, but she died from the plague. And watching his sister die… well that was his deepest, darkest fear. He went mad after her death."

"That's a horrible story. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if Anna died."

She hugged herself as she shivered in horror at the mere thought, and she saw from the corner of her eye a twitch from Jack's hand, as if he'd wanted to take her hand as a sign of comfort but had thought better of it.

 _Not surprising,_ she thought bitterly _. After seeing what my powers could do, he's probably afraid to even touch me._

She felt another pang as she thought of Anna, the only person who wasn't afraid of her in the slightest. Who didn't recoil at the thought of touching her.

"His soul became rotten," continued Jack, and she focused back on his words, "and when he tried to kill himself- he was mad with grief, you see- well his soul had become so evil, that he… he couldn't die, and he resurrected into a being of darkness. And for centuries, his darkness ruled the world. People were terrified, and everyone was scared out of their wits.

'Anyway, the legends say that his twin's spirit, whose soul was completely and beautifully pure, was resurrected into the moon… and we've come to call her the Man in the Moon, though technically she's a woman."

"We?" asked curiously Elsa.

"Wait," smiled Jack, "I'm getting to that part."

Elsa felt like she'd never been so captivated in her life; she just wanted Jack to continue talking.

"So the Man in the Moon, to defeat Pitch, created the Guardians; their role was to protect a fundamental piece of childhood and happiness. And children. That's their most important mission; protecting children.

'The first ever Guardian was Sandy, the Guardian of Dreams, (there, Elsa noticed a gleam of affection in Jack's eyes, and it only made her more curious), then came Bunny, the Guardian of Hope, Toothiana- or Tooth- the Guardian of Memories, and finally North, the Guardian of Wonder; though you probably know him as Santa Claus."

Elsa's mouth fell open.

"Are you trying to make me believe that Father Christmas actually _exists_?!"

"Pretty much, yeah," he said sheepishly.

"And Bunny… is that the Easter Rabbit?"

"Yeah, and Tooth is the tooth fairy," he mumbled.

And, somehow- maybe it was the fact that he thought she wouldn't trust him, or the way he didn't insist, or the sheer magic of his story- but she found that she was, though hesitantly, believing him.

"And how do you know them?" she asked softly, and he whipped his gaze from the spot on the ground he'd been staring at to her eyes so quickly that she blushed.

"You believe me?" he croaked.

"Well," she shrugged, "Seems like no one can see you except me, and it seems like you don't want to kill me after all… so I'm choosing to believe you."

His face had split into a contagious ear-splitting grin, and pretty soon she was smiling back at him.

"So, how do you know them?" she asked again.

"Well, a few months back, I became a Guardian myself," he said, "In addition to being, you know, the Spirit of Winter." His words hadn't been tinged by an ounce of arrogance, just fact.

"What do you mean, the Spirit of Winter?" she asked slowly.

"I mean, I can do stuff like this," he said, as he absentmindedly waved his hand, and an icy rabbit sprung from the frost at his feet and jumped in mid-air, moving around her as she twisted her head to look at it, gaping. When the bunny disappeared, she turned back to look in astonishment at the boy crouched in the cage.

"You have ice powers?!"

"Yeah," he said, meeting her gaze, "hadn't you figured that part out yet?"

"How was I _supposed_ to figure that part out?!" she asked him in astonishment.

"I just thought the white hair was a pretty good indicator. And the fact that I haven't died of cold after spending the night here."

"I- I didn't realize-" she stammered, and she picked herself up. Before she realized what she was doing, she'd waved her hand and the ice imprisoning Jack evaporated.

"Show me," she asked, a hitch in her voice, "Show me what you can do. Please."

"You don't want me to show you all I can do in your _room_?" he said, bemused, as he stood. "You would have quite a job explaining that, wouldn't you?"

"What do you suggest?" she asked, crossing her arms, as he started to walk towards her.

"I could _fly_ us somewhere isolated-"

"Careful," she warned, "I've just started to believe you didn't intend on murdering me."

They were now sharing the same breathing space- and God help her, _those eyes_ …

"If I did, I think you'd be more than capable of defending yourself." he murmured, and she felt his breath on his cheek.

Then, so suddenly she didn't have time to prepare yourself, he had caught her in his arms, a gust of wind had sprung the windows open, and they were plunging into emptiness (her room was in the highest tower of the castle) and she screamed, holding tight to his neck.

Then, she was flying.


	6. The Wounded Ego

**Chapter 6: A Wounded Ego**

Hans woke up gasping, his brow matted with sweat. He'd had a nightmare so horrible, that he was still trembling all over, though the details of the dream were quickly slipping away… he had been alone in the dark… there'd been high, cruel laughter…

He raised himself on his elbows, still trembling. His room was plunged in darkness, the only source of light a candle glistening near the door. The curtains were drawn, and he felt himself suffocating.

He sprang up from his bed, and pulled the curtains open to watch the moon, high above his head.

He had always had tortured nights filled with nightmares, for as long as he could remember; but since he'd allied himself with Pitch, he'd barely gotten any sleep. Maybe it was just because of the sheer aura of the man- but then, again, maybe it was just thoughts of Anna that stopped him from sleeping.

He remembered the last time he'd seen her; she'd been standing, next to her sister's throne, looking down the steps at him during his trial. Queen Elsa had decided to let Anna decide of his fate, after Hans had come so close to murdering her.

He'd wanted to scream that he hadn't had a choice, she refused to abandon her sister. She could've been his queen of Arendelle, but instead she had had to take the side of that monster she called a sister.

 _One day_ , he'd screamed at her, _you're going to wake up an ice statue, and you'll regret the moment you sent me away._

 _Yes, and I'll also think about all those memories we made together… like the time you locked me in a room so I would die of cold,_ she'd answered, the fury in her voice so at odds with her personality that she'd left everyone speechless.

She'd had a point.

Still, his thoughts fluttered to that moment in the room, when his lips had been so close to hers, and he'd had to exert all his self-control into not kissing her, knowing that he would have to kill her in the minutes following the moment.

And now, she was everywhere; he felt as if he constantly saw from the corner of his eye a glimpse of red hair, a flash of blue-green eyes…

"You're thinking about that princess again, aren't you?" asked a cold, sneering voice from behind him, and he spun around.

"What are you doing in my room?" he snarled at the tall, dark man dressed in black robes.

"You know, this is turning into quite an unhealthy obsession." Pitch tutted, sitting down into an armchair near the cold and empty fireplace.

"Bit rich, coming from you. You know, with your obsession with Jack Frost and Queen Elsa."

"That is _different_ ," he said. "I am pursuing _vengeance_. Which is quite different to the lust you are feeling for that red headed princess."

"It is not just _lust_ -"

At this, Pitch positively laughed, and Hans bristled.

"Oh, my dear prince, you don't think you _love_ her, do you?"

Hans didn't answer.

"That isn't love, Prince. That is a wounded ego that has turned into an obsession."

"I never said it was love." snapped Hans, and Pitch sneered.

"Don't worry. You'll have your princess in good time, my Prince."

And with a last smirk, Pitch disappeared.

...

Elsa screamed as her hair whipped around her face, and she buried her face in Jack's chest, her hands squeezing behind his neck. She felt like she'd left her stomach back in her room.

"Geez, Snowflake," she heard him laughing above the whistling wind, "You're sure scared of heights, for someone who's always wanted to fly."

"I'M NOT SCARED OF HEIGHTS!" she screamed, "I'M SCARED OF THE WHITE-HAIRED DUDE KIDNAPPING ME AND _FLYING_ ME OUT OF MY ROOM WITHOUT GIVING ME A DECENT WARNING!"

But then, before she realized it was over, her feet sank into cold snow, and her knees gave way under her. She only stayed upright when Jack, realizing she was about to fall down on her knees, lunged towards her and seized her by the elbows. She looked around her; they were in an isolated spot alright. It looked like a mountain creek; a snow-covered, flat area surrounded by enormous mountains. She had no idea which way the castle was, but she guessed they weren't far from it, seeing as they'd been in the air for barely more than five minutes.

But then, maybe Jack just flew _real_ fast. It had sure felt like that, anyway.

"Are you okay?" he asked worried that she was hyperventilating.

"I am definitely _not_ okay," she snapped, stepping away from him once she was sure that she wasn't about to collapse. "You can't just fly me out of my bedroom without asking if I was going to be okay with it!" Ice sparked at her fingertips, and she looked down in horrified surprise at her hand, before hiding it behind her back. She so rarely lost control- but she'd stopped being careful for a second, still on a high (and a glorious high it was, though she would never admit it to Jack) from that flight.

Jack had seen, and eyed her hand.

"Show me again." he said hoarsely.

"You first," she asked, taken aback. He met her gaze and smiled, though a little of his confidence had disappeared.

He waved his staff, and snow lifted from the ground and raised above their heads before imploding into tiny, glittering snowflakes falling around them. Elsa looked in awe, and lifted her hand, catching one of the snowflakes.

Was this possible? That all this time… she hadn't been the only one?

...

Jack looked at the queen as she grabbed one of his snowflakes, an expression of amazement on her face. His heart skipped a beat as she looked back at him, her eyes wide.

"Are you sure you want me to show you? After being in that cage?" she asked with a heart-breaking uncertainty in her voice.

"If anything, Snowflake, that cage is the _reason_ I want to see more." he said, hoping against hope that he was earning her trust, because he needed to see this… just as much as she needed seeing his magic. He couldn't help but replay the moment she'd hid her hand behind her back- like she should be ashamed of it-

But then Elsa waved her hand, and all his dark thoughts evaporated.

Tiny snow tornadoes had erupted around the clearing, spinning faster and faster, beautiful and mesmerizing.

And she didn't even look like she was _focusing._

No, she was looking directly at him, analysing his reaction.

"They're- they're beautiful," he murmured.

"You really think so?" she asked, smiling softly.

"Yes… Geez, Elsa, they're-" he'd been about to say _stunning_ , but froze as he heard her name slip out of his mouth. Sure, he'd been calling her Snowflake, but that had been teasing and saying her name seemed so much more… personal, intimate on a whole new level.

But she didn't even seem to notice.

"Watch this!" she beamed, and all of the tiny tornadoes reassembled between them in the center of the creak and joined to form a much bigger, impressive tornado.

"Woah!" he blurted, as he watched the tornado grow and grow, before finally imploding into tiny snowflakes that rained down on them, in a similar fashion that Jack had done.

Only much more impressive, in his opinion.

Then, a snowball landed square in his stomach, and his gaze snapped back to the queen, who right now just looked like a beautiful, giggling, mischievous girl.

"Oh, you're on, Snowflake. You just directly attacked the King of Snowball Fights himself." he said, snowballs already materializing in his hand and at his feet.

"Is that so?" she laughed, rolling her eyes- and then received a snowball, in the middle of her… back?

behind her, because he was flying again, landing on her side, and she received another snowball in her shoulder.

"THAT'S CHEATING!" he heard her shout, and he laughed out loud.

"You started it, Snowflake!"

Then, he was on her other side, preparing another snowball… but this time, she was prepared. She spun so fast that he didn't even have time to register the movement, and an ice barrier rose from the ground, protecting her… his snowball smashing right into the center of it.

"Show-off," he muttered, and heard her laugh.

"Come on, is that all you got?" she shouted at him, and he felt the grin on his face.

He didn't even answer, instead springing over the ice barrier she'd made for herself. She widened her eyes as she took a few steps back, lifting her hands, preparing-

But then she was screaming as she was propelled backward by an icy gust of wind, landing into a pile of snow that Jack had just materialized out of thin air. Bent with laughter, he didn't notice as she got back up, lifted her hands, and the whole pile of snow she'd just landed in- the snow _he'd_ made appear, might he add- was flying his way. Next thing he knew, he was being knocked onto his back, crushed by his own snow. He could hear Elsa laughing as he struggled to get back up.

"I feel like I've been going a little soft on you here," he smirked, struggling to get back up. "I was trying to be, you know- _a gentleman_ \- letting you win. As you're the woman and everything. I mean-"

And then a pound of ice hit him hard in the face.

"I WAS _JOKING_ -"

"Well, Mr Frost, we're just going to have to see how much of a gentleman you really are!" he heard her shout just before another pound of hard ice hit him square in the chest.

"FINE! I am warning you, Queen of Treachery, I am now playing this your way!"

And then he grabbed his staff and hurled himself into the air, flying around the clearing, and a powerful cold wind picked up; it ruffled her skirts and tangled her hair; then it seemed like, somehow, another wind had picked up… but was going in the opposite direction of the first one, and pretty soon the clearing was a swirling storm of contrary winds-

Another swish of his staff, and snowflakes were swirling around, millions of them, and if he hadn't been Jack Frost, he wouldn't have seen anything. He sped along the ice, skating, bare-feet, moving at a fast-pace… and then he flew high up, and came back down at an alarming speed, twirling on himself as he descended, his feet slamming into the ground…

And spiralling on the ice in a graceful dance, as if he was barely thinking about his movements.

Another swish of his staff, and another wind picked up.

Another laugh from Elsa, and new snowflakes appeared, blurring his vision, and exploding in tiny shimmering ones that caught the light-

He turned around, searching for Elsa amidst the 'small' snowstorm he'd created. He finally spotted her, and he flew towards her.

"IMPRESSED YET?" he shouted at her above the howling of the winds, batting his eyelashes against the snowflakes fluttering in his eyes.

"GETTING THERE!" she shouted back. Then, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him; he bended his knees, and sprung himself high into the air, wrapping his arms on her low-back, the snowstorm following them, staying around them.

"JACK! JACK!" Elsa screamed in panic as he held her tighter, going ever higher, the snowstorm following not logic or physics, but the orders of his thoughts-

And then they were above dark clouds, and the snow storm suddenly exploded around them, soaking them through as the winds teased a last time Elsa's hair; then, it was quiet except for the distant wind, the sun already setting, colouring the skies in streaks of pink and orange.

They were silent for a second longer.

Then Elsa began to laugh. It was an exhilarated, even hysteric laugh, as she swung her arms upwards as if to reach for the sun, and she bent her upper body away from him.

He looked at her, at her eyes, her huge, huge eyes filled with wonder and excitement, trying to drink in the sheer beauty of the sky. She came black closer, wrapping her arms around his neck as she looked around.

"Did you like it?" he asked nervously.

" _Like_ it?! I mean- that- that was-"

"Impressive? Stupefying? Glorious?"

She hit him playfully on the chest, and bit her lip.

"I know. You didn't believe the stupid ' _white-haired dude_ '," he laughed at the memory of the nickname she'd given him in that moment of panic, "could do that."

"Let's just say, they don't call you the Spirit of Winter for nothing." she murmured, finally looking up at his face. They stayed like that for a while, peaceful, a gentle breeze playing on their faces (Jack had conveniently ordered the winds to stay away from this particular spot), at a complete stand-still, just… floating.

Finally, after what seemed like a much too-short eternity, Elsa sighed.

"I- I have to go back. The dinner- I have to be back for dinner." she said apologetically.

He sighed too.

"I get it. I'll take you home."

And this time, Elsa didn't shout out once as she flew above her kingdom, back to the palace.


	7. A Gentleman

**Chapter 7: A Gentleman**

"Your Majesty!" gasped Katie as she saw Elsa stride up to the entrance of the dining hall, "Where have you _been_?"

Then, Katie noticed the curled, messy hair, and the soaked dress, and she merely ogled at her.

"Yeah, Snowflake, why don't you tell her where you've been? Now _that_ would be interesting." said an annoying voice near her ear, and Elsa had to bite her lip to stop herself from answering him. Katie would definitely think she'd gone mad if she started talking to imaginary people- or, more accurately, people she couldn't see.

"I'm very sorry, Katie." she said to the girl. "I didn't see the time pass by."

Indeed, that was one way to put it. The afternoon had passed in a blur, a whirlwind of snow and wind, and she still couldn't believe it had been real. At least she knew know that the strange boy didn't want her dead, or he'd have tried to kill her by now.

But that didn't explain what he was doing here, why he had chosen to enter her life now… what was he doing here? What did he want?

And though her instincts screamed at her to be careful; she'd known the guy for a day, and let him out of a cage for less than that; her thoughts flitted to that one moment, a perfect silent moment when she'd been alone with him high in the sky. It had been such an experience… and if he'd wanted to hurt her, he would have just let go of her, wouldn't he? But though she had been completely and utterly at his mercy at that moment, she hadn't been afraid.

The foolishness of that thought struck her.

When he'd landed back in her bedroom, she'd taken a look at the clock and gasped. She'd already missed dinner with the royals of the Southern Isles yesterday, had pretended to be sick (when the true reason of her absence was that she'd been convinced that she'd been about to be murdered by a person no one could see but her), and now she was a half hour late.

Passing Katie, she slammed the doors of the dining room open, and she strode confidently to the end of the table.

Jack Frost still following her.

"Geez, they look like a nice lot." he muttered, and Elsa bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry for being late," she said to the King, and she let them take in her appearance, so far from her usual distinguished attire. She hadn't paused to look at herself in the mirror, wanting only to be at the dining room as fast as possible.

She realized now that this had been a bad idea, as the King whistled.

"Well, Queen Elsa, it looks like you've been quite busy," he said in a condescending tone.

"Quite," she simply said as she took her seat, Jack Frost standing near her, leaning forward on his staff which he held with both his hands.

"You're distracting me," she muttered in his direction.

"What was that Snowflake, I didn't hear you… maybe if you spoke a little louder…" he said, and she could hear the laugh in his voice.

"This isn't funny Jack! I can't afford to make a bad impression on these people!" she whispered forcefully.

"What did you say, your Majesty?" asked the King. She cursed under her breath.

"Nothing, King Ronald," she said pleasantly, as she focused on her food. She'd just realized she was starving.

"Before your late arrival, your Majesty, my sons and I were talking about the princess," said the King.

"Oh, really?" she asked, pretending to be only mildly interested, though she paid more attention to what the King was saying. And maybe she imagined it, but she felt as if Jack had stood a little straighter at the mention of her sister.

"Is it true that the princess is… how can I put this? _Gallivanting_ around the world with a peasant?" the King asked, the hint of a sneer in his voice.

"I didn't know you were one to listen to gossip, your _Majesty_ ," she said, spitting out the title like an insult in sudden defensiveness. "For your information, my _sister_ is seeing the world for the first time of her life with her betrothed, who is not a peasant, but an _ice-man_."

"Though it would make no difference if he was a peasant," muttered Jack.

"Though it would make no difference if he was a peasant," repeated sharply Elsa. Jack's following chuckle made her heart flutter.

"It wouldn't?" asked Queen Eleanor, but her tone was only curious, without a hint of judgement in her voice. The princes looked at her as if they were astonished she'd dared speak.

"No," said Elsa, more softly as she looked at the Queen, "It wouldn't. My sister can wed who she pleases. You'll forgive me for reminding you, but my sister was betrothed to a Prince once, who tried to kill us both. So, yes, your Majesty," she continued, but this time addressing the King directly, "I do prefer the _peasant_ as my future brother-in-law than your son, and I do prefer the princess- what was the word you used- _gallivanting_ , than killed by Prince Hans."

"You go, girl." said Jack in a proud voice, and she couldn't help but smile for half a second.

"Forgive me, your Majesty," said the King, putting down his glass, "I didn't mean to insult your sister or yourself."

He looked as though that had been exactly what he'd been trying to do, but Elsa didn't comment.

"Your counsellors told us that they'd made you aware of our negotiations to proceed with a marriage alliance to unite our two kingdoms." the King continued, and Elsa's heart sank. So he did know that she'd been kept in the dark then. No wonder he thought he could push her around… how she must seem weak.

"They did, yes," she confirmed.

"Did you choose which of my sons you will wed yet?" asked the King.

"Well, no, I've only learned of it yesterday, how do you want me to choose a husband in a day?" she snapped. She knew she was supposed to be polite, but she was getting tired of this charade.

"Elsa, if I may-"

" _Queen_ Elsa."

A flash of fury crossed the King's face.

" _Queen_ Elsa. I have been kind enough to overlook how you treated the Prince-"

"I'm so sorry to have kicked him out of my home after he tried to take my kingdom," she muttered, rolling her eyes, so exasperated she couldn't even summon outrage at the King's words.

"-and my sons have been kind enough to agree to marry you despite your… _condition_ -"

"Is he talking about your powers?!" she heard Jack say in outrage, and she realised how glad she was that he was next to her. Though she barely knew him… at least she wasn't alone.

"-but now I expect you to cooperate."

"You do, do you?" Jack snarled his voice filled with outrage for Elsa. "You arrogant, royal, butt-headed-"

"I will give the matter some thought," Elsa interrupted him.

"You're _kidding_ ," Jack gaped, standing now directly in her eye-vision so that it was impossible for her to ignore him, "Why are you bowing down to the prick?"

"Good, your Majesty." said the King, and as if those words were a cue, the twelve princes, the King and his wife stood up as one.

"We ate while you weren't there," sneered the King, "so forgive us if we take leave." And without waiting for her approval, they left the room.

"That is so _disrespectful_ , you little piece of _shit_ -"

"Leave me," said Elsa to the servants standing around the table and they left, leaving her alone with Jack. She stood up and looked directly at Jack, as he turned to look at her as well.

"Why are you here, Jack?" she whispered.

…

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, confused. _Is that what she wants to talk about now, when that scumbag just pressured her-_

"I mean," she breathed impatiently, "Why are you here? In Arendelle? You appear out of nowhere, you have powers like mine, and you're still here though there's nothing in it for you. _Why_ are you here?"

"I guess-" he started stammering, his eyes widening, "I mean- maybe I _want_ to stay. No one has been able to see me for a very long time, and you- you have amazing powers. I just want to know you, I guess. I want to see more. I'm curious about you, Elsa. I want to get to know you."

"You want to get to know me?" she asked, and whatever she'd been expecting to hear, he could see it hadn't been that. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah. Is that so unbelievable?"

"A little," she said quietly.

"Why?" he asked slowly, daring to take a step closer.

"I just- I'm not used to it."

"Oh come on, Snowflake. Don't tell me you're not used to getting attention with _those_ looks," he grinned, and Elsa barked out a laugh. She was even more beautiful when she smiled… if that was possible.

"Believe it or not, the ice powers are kind of a deal breaker for most men," she chuckled.

"Not for me," he whispered, and watched as her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. He swallowed back a grin. She was _blushing_.

"But aren't you scared?"

"Scared? _You_ should be the one afraid of _me_." he said in a teasing voice. She rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you arrogant?" she said, twitching an eyebrow, and he chuckled.

"I'm not scared of you," he said in a more serious, quiet tone. She reached for his hand, and squeezed it. He was so surprised, that he didn't pull back.

Not that he would have pulled back if he hadn't been surprised.

"Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"You're not a monster, Elsa. This is not a- a _sickness_ … it's a miracle. It is to me, anyway."

She dropped his hand, and buried her own face in her hands.

"I just don't know what to _do_. I feel like I'm trying so hard to do the right thing, to be a good queen- and everyone's just working against me, marrying me off, as if I wasn't _capable_ enough-"

"We'll figure out something."

"We?" she asked, smiling, lifting her head from her hands to look at him. This time, it was him that blushed.

"Well, yeah, if you'd- I mean if I could- if you don't mind I stick around-"

"Because it's your duty," she said, giggling a little.

"Exactly!" he said relieved at the escape she'd offered him, "I'm doing my duty as a Guardian."

" _Only_ your duty?"

"Of course, milady!", he said, bending into a deep, dramatic bow, "I _am_ a gentleman, after all."

She burst out laughing, and his face split into an ear-splitting grin.

"So," he coughed. "I'll come back tomorrow then?"

"I'd like that," she said softly, her head tilting a little to the side as she looked at him. He kicked his staff on his shoulder, dropped into another bow and smiled at her answering chuckle. His feet left the ground as he pulled open the window.

"Jack?" she called back.

He turned around.

"See you tomorrow." she said, her eyes twinkling in the candlelight.

"See you tomorrow, Snowflake," he smiled, before disappearing in the night.

…

Elsa walked back to her room in a dreamy state, despite the conversation with the king of the southern isles, her mind fluttering back and forth between the dining room she'd just left, and that afternoon.

Though she hadn't said anything to Jack, she had been more than impressed at his performance in the clearing. She'd been… _amazed_. He'd controlled the winds so perfectly, the snow obeying his every command- she'd felt the magic moving around her, shimmering into every breath of air she'd taken. And then- they'd been above the clouds-

And when the King had tried to bully her- Jack's pride at her retorts and his outrage for her… maybe, just maybe, she'd found a friend. A friend that wasn't her sister, a friend that she felt could understand her on a whole new level…

A friend.

But another voice in the back of her mind kept screaming at her to be careful, to not let her guard down… and of course she was still wary. She'd been through too much to just give away her trust in a day.

But there was just something about him that she couldn't quite explain, a loneliness and hurt haunting his eyes that she knew all too well.

"Your Majesty?" called someone from behind her, and she turned to see Katie running towards her.

"Yes, Katie?" she said to the blond-haired servant running to her.

"I have two letters for you." Katie said, handing her one large yellow envelope, that looked like it had been to hell and back, and another much smaller and completely white.

"Thank you, Katie," Elsa murmured quickly as she took the two letters from her, and pushed open the door of her room with her back as she started to open the first letter.

 _Hi Elsa! I wrote to you like, yesterday, but I miss you so I wrote another letter!_

 _Kristoff and I heard a rumour that you had Southern Isles guests at the palace. How is that possible? Anyway, we're coming home as soon as we can, though I don't know how much time it'll take to come back._

 _We're departing from Africa tomorrow evening, and heading straight back to Arendelle._

 _Can't wait to see you! Love ya,_

 _Anna_

She beamed as she read the words. It was so like Anna to come rushing back to her side for a _rumour_ , but she was glad she was doing it. Letters from Africa usually arrived in a two and a half weep gap, which meant that Anna was already on her way. She gasped a squeal at the realisation.

 _Anna's coming back._

Her spirits couldn't've been higher; but they quickly plummeted again when she tore open the second letter, and this one came from much closer to home…

It was from Archimedes.

 _Queen Elsa,_

 _Following your conversation with the King this evening (may I add that he reported that you were very rude, and that your attitude is not one of a Queen), and to help you make the choice that will determine who your future husband will be, the rest of the counsellors and I have decided that for now on, and for twelve days, you will spend a morning with each prince._

 _I bid you a very good night,_

 _Counsellor Archimedes._

She fell with a grown on her bed. Marvellous. Now she would be putting up with those arrogant, misogynistic pigs for twelve mornings.

Perfect.

Her mind turned towards the alliance again.

She had to learn more about this threat of war- she had to learn more about what was happening in the Southern Isles; she couldn't marry one of them, because that would be as good as handing her kingdom over; she couldn't say no, because war was something that she had been taught to avoid at all costs.

What she needed, she decided, was a spy.


	8. The Murder

**Chapter 8: The Murder**

Jack had fallen asleep on the roof, watching the moon shine bright above him. He'd been counting the stars when he'd fallen asleep.

This time, he'd dreamt of war. He'd dreamt of streets covered in blood, of crying parents as they were searching for their children… corpses littered the ground - _was that a baby?_ \- and more children on the horizon, marching, an enormous child army…

He woke up gasping, the morning sun dazzling him. It took him a minute to remember where he was. Then, the past day came rushing back.

He shot to his feet, jumping from the roof, the wind catching him- flew to where he knew the Queen's bedroom was- hurtled himself inside as the windows were blown open by a wind that hadn't been there a few seconds before-

And he was met by a shriek.

"TURN AROUND!"

He immediately did so, though it didn't erase from his memory what he'd glimpsed. Elsa had been surrounded by female servants dressing her for the day. Her body had only been covered by a corset and white, transparent skirts- so it wasn't like he'd actually seen anything, but _geez, she was gorgeous_ \- though he almost immediately hit himself for thinking it.

 _Gentleman_ , he reminded himself.

"Sorry. Thought I saw a spider." Elsa explained to her maids, who'd jumped at her scream.

"Did you just call me a _spider_?" said Jack over his shoulder in mock-outrage.

"Maybe it was a cockroach. Disgusting little things." he heard Elsa say, and he gasped in horror.

"You _are_ aware that you will pay for that," he teased. Then he heard Elsa say her thanks to the maids and promising that she would be along shortly.

"Yes, don't worry, I'll do my hair myself, thank you Gretel."

Finally, he heard the door close behind the servants.

"Can I turn around now?" he asked.

"Sure. _Pervert_."

"What?!" he said, turning around, indignant- "It's not like I did it on _purpose_ -"

"When was it a good idea to burst into the room of a woman early in the morning?"

"Granted," he muttered. "It was worth it though," he added, throwing her a flirtatious look.

He didn't even have the time to dodge the pillow.

A few minutes later, Jack was sitting down on Elsa's bed, bent over the counsellors' letter, reading it for the fifth time. Elsa, meanwhile, was humming as she sat in front of her dressing table, brushing her hair.

"This is unbelievable," he said, for what he felt was the billionth time. "They are so _blind_ -"

"I know. I have to find a way to break this alliance, without starting a war. Marrying one of them would mean losing Arendelle, and I would do it if I thought one of the princes of the Southern Isles would be a good king to my people, even if I would lose power- I mean, the little power I have now. But it's just not the way they were brought up. I just know that Arendelle would take a turn for the worst."

Jack believed her, and he looked at the queen, still playing with her hair, trying to find a good way to put them. She didn't even seem aware that she'd confessed she would sacrifice the hope of any romantic love in her life for Arendelle, if she was sure that it was the right thing for her kingdom.

"You're amazing, you know." he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said. "Just thinking out loud."

"Think out loud about a way to get me out of this mess, would you? The Christmas Ball's in less than two weeks, and that's when I'm supposed to announce my engagement."

"What if…" started Jack, and Elsa immediately turned to face him, her eyes wide.

"You have an idea?!" she blurted.

"What if we hatched a plan so that you screwed up on these- um… _dates_ \- and make the princes be disgusted by you so that not one of them will want to marry you?"

Elsa blinked at him.

"That's a horrible idea," she said. "You're supposed to help me, not provoke a diplomatic incident."

"Yeah, Snowflake, but that's all I got for now."

"Not very good at this Guardian gig, are you?" she teased, turning back to the mirror. He stood up and walked to her.

"I am _very_ good at this Guardian gig, for your information-"

"I'm sure you _terrorize_ the children,"

"I most certainly do _not_ -" he said, affronted.

"Relax, Jack. I'm only teasing." she said, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He smiled back at her.

"Or, I think I am," she added, chuckling, and narrowly avoided the snowball that had been aimed at her head.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Elsa," he muttered, going back to sitting on the bed.

"Maybe one of those princes could be a good King," said Jack, not believing the words himself.

"Their brother tried to _decapitate_ me," Elsa said, arching her brow at him.

"Snowflake, _never_ judge someone by their relatives. For all you know, my father was a serial killer."

"Was he?"

"No, but you're missing the point."

Elsa laughed, her head swinging backwards, and he smiled proudly.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Your Majesty? Prince Broderick is waiting for you."

"Coming!" she shouted across the door, abandoning the complicated hairstyle she'd been trying and instead going for her usual loose braid.

"Geez, the King is cruel," he said, as Elsa opened the door to the servant. "I mean, who calls their son _Broderick_?"

And the valet looked at the Queen, amazed, as she burst out laughing.

This was worse than Elsa had thought it would be.

And that was saying something.

Broderick had been waiting for her in the entrance hall, had complimented her dress-

"What's underneath it is even better, trust me," had laughed Jack, and Elsa had _discreetly_ slammed her heel into his foot, so that Jack howled in pain ('I was _joking_ Elsa, for goodness' sake)-

And then Broderick had led her to the Gardens where they'd walked around for a while, Jack floating along behind them. After a while, Elsa got fed up of small talk.

"So. What would you do, if you were the King of Arendelle?" she asked suddenly, and the prince turned to her.

"I thought we were only going to spend time together here, your Majesty, or I would have prepared for a job interview," the Prince said sharply. Elsa stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

"Listen, Prince Broderick. I don't know if you've caught on yet, but I'm kind of being forced into this marriage thing. I am not planning on marrying you or anyone of your brothers out of _love_ or even friendship, but because your country is threatening to invade mine. So yes, Prince Broderick, this _is_ a job interview, because I won't be making any one of you king if I don't think you're the best thing for my country."

Prince Broderick looked at Elsa, and, to her great surprise, burst out laughing.

"I think he didn't take you very seriously," muttered Jack, and Elsa silently agreed.

"I'm sorry, Queen Elsa," said Prince Broderick, wiping away tears of mirth- "I'll do as you wish me to. As you well know, I am the eldest of my brothers, and next in line for the throne. Which means, I am the most powerful of my brethren, and have more to offer you than all of my brothers put together; just imagine, the Queen of Arendelle and the King of the Southern Isles put together! The power we would hold! With our two armies combined, we could bring many countries to their knees! I- we- could build an empire."

Elsa ignored Jack, who was rolling his eyes.

"But don't you think we should be worrying about issues a little closer to home? Like, striking new trade deals, helping our inhabitants…"

"Of course!" said Broderick quickly, "But it will be much more fun, if we have a lot more inhabitants."

"This guy is caricatural," groaned Jack. "It's like a red-headed Napoleon."

They went back to small talk for another hour before a servant finally had mercy on Elsa and hurried over to them, saying that Prince Broderick had to go with his brothers for a sword training session. The prince asked Elsa if she'd like to come watch, and when she declined, he merely said that of course that was understandable, as a woman that wouldn't exactly be her cup of tea.

She watched him walk away, eyebrows raised.

"So, that went well," said Jack, landing in front of her. "Can I be best man at the wedding?"

"Shut up," she grumbled at him irritably.

"What was your favourite part? Mine was the 'I-want-to-dominate-the-world' bit. Or maybe the 'Women-fall-at-my-feet-but-it's-understandable-I-mean-look-at-me'."

She couldn't help it. She grinned.

"I liked the 'more-habitants-we-have-the-more-we'll-have-fun-torturing-them-with-insane-laws' more though."

"Yeah, that one was pretty good." chuckled Jack.

"Seriously, though," she sighed, sinking into the snow, "this is catastrophic."

The sensation of cold against her folded legs brought her a certain sense of comfort.

"Cheer up, Snowflake. Maybe his brothers will be worse."

"Not helping, Jack."

He didn't answer immediately. He stood awkwardly for a second, then laid his staff aside as he sat down on the snow with her, drawing patterns in the snow.

"You know, you haven't given me much details about this Guardian thing," she said after a long, peaceful silence. "I know you're… employed by the Man in the Moon? And you're friends with Santa Claus, the Sandman, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? Aaaand, you protect children?"

"When you put it like that, doesn't sound very believable, huh?" he answered, chewing his lip. When he lifted his eyes to look at her, she found she was sitting his head tilted towards him.

"I already told you a lot about myself, but you didn't tell me much," he continued. He noticed her smile flicker.

"True," she simply said, and he waited for more… but it didn't come.

"So… could you tell me?" he prodded again. She was silent for a while, and he'd almost given up hope that she would say anything more, when she opened her mouth again.

"I'm cold," (he absolutely knew that was a lie. She couldn't feel cold, he'd already guessed that when she'd been in a short-sleeved dress in the middle of a snowy, windy mountain), "Let's go back inside."

But he didn't say anything, following her inside. He followed her up a staircase, still in complete silence (this was getting awkward real fast), but when she took a turn into a corridor that _definitely_ didn't lead back to her room, he asked where they were going.

"I'm going to the library. I'm going to look up the entirety of the history of the Southern Isles, and their relationships with Arendelle. I have to be as much informed as I possibly can, and look for weaknesses- something I can use to stop this marriage alliance,"

"You mean, we." he interjected, and though she didn't answer, he knew he hadn't imagined the fleeting smile on her face.

A few minutes later, Jack was seated behind one of the dark oak desks of the library. He looked around, whistling. Now _this_ was what he called a library.

Gigantic shelves of books reached the ceiling- which was a good way above the floor- and were crammed with books (obviously) of all shapes, colours and sizes. He was resisting the urge to fly up to the highest shelves to investigate, because _was that a title in Ancient Greek?_ But Elsa had clearly told him to stay put, ' _No flying around, Jack, I mean it_ ' she'd ordered, while he'd huffed irritably in agreement. Elsa had then disappeared behind a row of shelves, and he'd heard the sound of her heels getting farther and farther away, as she looked for books about the Southern Isles.

Incapable of being still, he stood up, grabbing his staff, and looked around, his feet still on the ground. He looked at the books on the lower shelves, and saw a _Dictionary of Ancient Handwritings_ , and picked it out. He opened it up, to a random page, more bored than curious; and a page slipped out of the book. He cursed, and bent to pick it up.

It wasn't a page at all, he realized, but a letter.

To his great surprise, it was dated; _18th January 1836._

11 years ago, then.

He read the following sentence.

 _Counsellor Archimedes,_

 _I am glad to know that nothing politically important has happened in the kingdom since I've been gone. I am very sad to learn that princess Elsa lost control of her powers again. You said you have punished her accordingly; you know that whilst I think that teaching Elsa to control her powers is vitally important for her future as well as Arendelle's, I hope that you have not used the force of violence on the princess. That will only heighten her fear, and it will end badly. I will personally ask Elsa if you have disobeyed my orders on this account- know that if you did, the repercussions will be terrible for yourself, and your career._

 _King Agnarr of Arendelle._

Jack gaped at the letter. Was this what he thought it was? A letter- from Elsa's father- talking about her powers.

He knew that Elsa had been physically abused, because that's what Tooth had told him- but...

Was it possible that all this time, the King hadn't known that Elsa was being abused on a physical level?

But then, why had Elsa stayed quiet?

 _The same reason all children stay quiet._

Elsa would've been ten when this letter had been written. A wave of hot anger sent goose bumps down his arms.

 _Ten. Years. Old._

He gave himself a small shake. Even if the King didn't know that the princess was being abused physically, he at least knew that she was being abused emotionally. He _had_ given her gloves. Taught her to be afraid of letting emotions control her- because she would lose control of her powers.

Afraid of _feeling._

 _He didn't know what he was doing. He thought he was protecting her._

Yeah well, he had majestically screwed up.

He heard the sound of Elsa's heels approaching him. He stuffed the letter in the front pocket of his sweatshirt- something told him that if Elsa knew that he had read something like that, she would feel violated in such a way that his efforts of the past few days to gain her trust would all have been for nothing. He quickly soared back to his seat, putting a foot on his knee and making an effort to look casual as Elsa rounded the corner of a shelf, carrying what looked about a dozen of large volumes that she slammed down onto the table.

"Have you moved?" she asked sternly.

"Not a muscle," he said, smiling at her.

A pang of remorse flitted through him.

 _I'll tell her_ , he promised himself, as he observed the Queen sitting down opposite from him and pulling a book towards her. _But not yet._

 _Not yet._

…

An hour later, Elsa yawned.

Two hours later, she felt like she was no more advanced than she'd been when she'd entered the library.

Three hours later, she felt like she was about to bang her head repeatedly on the table.

Jack slammed a book close next to her.

"There's nothing in here either, Snowflake," he announced, as he strode to a window and opened it, letting the fresh winter air come in, relieved, "except if you want to know the dates of reign of every Southern Isles ruler. Interesting, but not really helpful."

She closed her eyes briefly.

"I don't get it. There's _always_ something to find in books."

"Maybe the Southern Isles are careful about the information they give out to the rest of the world."

She stubbornly took another book on the desk, pulling it towards her, and opening it.

"Elsa- come on. It's no use."

He gently took the book from her and closed it.

"I'm not giving up."

"I'm not asking you to. But we'll have to figure out something else, because we're just wasting our time here."

Just as Elsa opened her mouth to retort, a small voice echoed between the shelves.

"Your Majesty?"

Elsa froze, turning slowly towards the sound of the voice. Jack stood up, picking up his staff and looking towards where it had come from.

"Yes?" answered Elsa hesitantly.

A blue-eyed, blond, short girl rounded the corner.

"I'm sorry, am I disturbing you?"

"Not at all, Katie. What is it?"

She was a servant, Jack guessed, and who didn't look a day older than eighteen. Thin, but not starving-thin, and quite pale. She looked… scared.

"I- I have to tell you something,"

Jack shot a side-ways look at Elsa. She looked intrigued. Pushing herself up with a hand on the desk, she approached Katie, and took her hand, gently sitting her down where she herself had been moments before.

"Go ahead," she said kindly, kneeling before the servant girl, putting a hand on her knee, and the other grasping Katie's hand.

 _Wow_ , Jack thought. _She sure knows how to set people at ease._

"I- I'm part of the group of servants that have to attend to the Southern Isles guests."

Elsa shot a look at him, and he raised an eyebrow as if to say: _See? Books aren't everything, Snowflake._

She gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head, and returned her attention to Katie.

"I wasn't spying!" the girl said shakily, "I was just… _there_."

"It's fine Katie, don't worry. Tell me what happened."

"I heard the King talking to one of his sons. I don't know which one it was. They were- they were conspiring to kill a prince- one of them. And they talked about the alliance-"

At that moment, a few things happened at once; Books fell out of a shelf on their right, and through the gap it left, Jack saw an arrow pierce the air and fly towards Elsa and the servant; he threw himself towards Elsa, knocking her down, shielding her with his own body…

The servant girl crashed to the floor, her throat pierced by an arrow, her eyes already empty.

She was dead.


	9. A Visit to the Pole

**Chapter 9: A Visit to the Pole**

Elsa screamed. Jack hadn't been quick enough; she'd been directly in front of the servant when the arrow had struck her. Elsa's hands, face, hair… she was covered in blood. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth as she screamed again.

"Snowflake. Snowflake. It's okay. I'm here. You're alive. You're alright."

He heard the sound of someone scurrying away- and he had to restrain himself from flying away at their pursue. But he couldn't leave Elsa alone. She dissolved in uncontrollable sobbing, tears streaking down her cheeks and mixing with blood.

She was _shaking_.

"Elsa look at me. _Look at me_."

Elsa swivelled her huge blue eyes to meet his.

"We have to move. Come on."

But there was no use; she was paralyzed. She couldn't move, couldn't think…

Just then, Jack heard the doors of the library bang open. He let go of Elsa and stood up, sinking into a defensive stance, his staff directed in front of him. He gritted his teeth.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" he heard someone shout in a panicked voice. Guards rounded the corner, and stopped abruptly, their eyes wide.

Jack hadn't noticed, being completely immersed by the task of bringing Elsa back to her senses, but the Queen was surrounded by a violent snowstorm, that twirled around her, nearly hiding her from view. Ice leapt out from underneath her feet, covering the library floor, and the storm seemed to grow bigger and more violent. Soon, Jack was also surrounded by it.

"Elsa." he said softly, kneeling down, facing her. She was gripping her knees with her hands, folded into a ball. Her eyes were squeezed shut. "Elsa, look at me. Open your eyes." The Queen did so, fixing her gaze into his own. "Elsa, you have to breathe. Your guards are here. They're going to help. But you have to let them through. Go on, Snowflake. _Breathe_."

A rasping gasp escaped from her, and immediately the storm stopped, snowflakes freezing in the air. He grabbed her before she could fall down, pulling her to him.

The guards lurched forward, taking in the scene. The Queen, still shaking and crying, and the girl- _Katie,_ Jack remembered dimly- laying, dead, on the floor. Immediately, the tallest guard, who seemed to be the one in charge started shouting orders.

"You! Go fetch Counsellor Archimedes! Someone has to guard the body! You! Fetch the Queen's maids, they are to be in her apartments as soon as possible!"

Shouting a few other orders, he approached Elsa. Jack let her go, unwillingly, as the Guard picked her up in his arms, her head flipping on his torso as he put one arm underneath her back and the other underneath her knees.

He exited the library, and though he didn't know it, was closely followed by Jack Frost.

…

Elsa woke up in a daze. She dimly recognized she was in a bathtub, completely naked, Gretel scrubbing at her body.

"Your Majesty! You're awake!"

Elsa looked around. She was in the luxurious bathroom that was attached to her bedroom, floating in water. Lukewarm, red water.

 _Red?_

The memory of what had happened in the library hit her. She lurched out of the bathtub, whose water had mixed with Katie's blood, that Gretel had been scrubbing off her.

"Your Majesty, it's just me, Gretel!"

She'd known Gretel since she was a child, she reminded herself. Gretel wouldn't do her any harm.

"Oh Gretel," she said, tears filling her eyes, "Gretel, Katie's dead!"

The servant stood, stunned, but not at the news that Katie had died; no, the whole castle knew that by now; but she had lost habit of the Queen being so vulnerable. She was always so regal, so poised.

She wasn't now. Now, she was terrified.

Gretel regained her composure.

"I know, sweetheart. I know," she said in a reassuring voice, walking towards the Queen. She hadn't called Elsa _sweetheart_ since she'd turned sixteen, and Elsa hadn't realized how much she'd missed it. Gretel took the white bathrobe that hung from the wall, and approached the Queen slowly.

"Here, put this on."

Elsa gratefully slid into the warm bathrobe and instantly felt as if she was surrounded by arms, just like Jack had held her when he'd calmed her down-

 _Jack._

She turned and ripped the door of the bathroom open, Gretel looking at her in bewilderment. She rushed out in her room-

"Hey, Snowflake."

Jack was casually laying down on her bed, his hands cupping his head as he stared at the ceiling, one foot crossed over the other. She felt a wave of relief course through her. He sat up, his legs swinging over the edge of the bed. He grabbed his staff, and walked towards her.

"Are you okay?"

"Gretel, thank you. I'll be alright now."

"Are you sure, your Majesty?" Gretel asked, exiting the bathroom.

"Yes, don't worry about me."

She heard the door close behind the servant, and launched herself into Jack's arms. She felt him stiffen for a moment, out of surprise, but then he wrapped her arms around her. She grabbed his shirt, making a considerate effort not to cry again.

"I thought you'd gone," she said, finally pulling away. Jack grinned, passing a hand in his hair.

"I was right here. I figured if you woke up in a bath and saw me in the bathroom with you, you'd freak."

She sat on her bed, sinking into the mattress.

"What happened?" she asked finally.

"They haven't found anyone fleeing the castle, so they're assuming that the killer is still here."

She gulped, rubbing her chest with her hand. Jack observed her, still standing and leaning on his staff, a look of concern in his eyes.

"Don't worry, Snowflake. You have, like, a dozen guards standing outside your door."

She waved a hand dismissively, letting him know that that wasn't what was bothering her.

"Was it- was _I_ the one they were trying to kill? Did- did Katie die for me?"

"That's what everyone's thinking."

"Oh shit," she said, putting her face in her hands. "Shit, shit, _shit_ -"

"I didn't say that was what I think." he said, sitting down on the bed next to her and pulling her hands away from her face. "And I was the only one who was there."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking at him directly.

"I mean- that Katie was about to tell you something important… and that she was murdered for it," he muttered grimly.

"You think the Southern Isles are behind this?" she whispered.

"I don't see who else would want to kill a servant, when the queen was right next to her."

"Maybe- maybe they aimed badly, or-"

"Trust me, Snowflake. I saw that arrow. It went exactly where it was meant to."

Elsa closed her eyes, rubbing them tiredly.

"You should sleep." Jack said slowly.

"I don't think I can," she admitted. "What time is it?"

"Twenty minutes 'til midnight. You were knocked out for quite some time," he told her, and she flinched.

"The way I reacted- I don't know what came over me. I must have looked so weak-"

"Elsa, that was the first time a person died in front of you. Moreover, you had blood all over you, your brain couldn't process what had just happened. I would be more worried if you _hadn't_ reacted the way you did." he said, reaching to brush her hair behind her ear. She looked at him, and after a minute smiled.

It was faint, and small- but still. It was there.

"I'll try to sleep." she said. Jack nodded and stood up. He opened the window, preparing to fly and sleep on the roof again, when Elsa called him back.

"Could you- could you stay?" she asked timidly. He grinned.

"Sure I can stay, Snowflake."

He pulled one of the comfortable-looking armchairs to face Elsa's bed, while she slid under the covers. He curled up onto the armchair, and closed his eyes.

"What would _really_ be useful," Elsa said sleepily, "would be to find a way to know exactly what Katie saw, that made her a target."

"Go to sleep, Snowflake." Jack said, looking at the curled form of the Queen, as all went quiet once more.

…

The clock had just sounded two chimes, when Jack's eyes flew open. He didn't know what had woken him up at first, but then he noticed the cold wind swirling around the room, though the window was closed; and he heard a moan. He lifted himself out of the armchair and walked towards the side of the sleeping queen's bed.

He looked at Elsa, still sleeping. She was beautiful even in sleep, with her blond hair covering the pillow under her. She moaned again, and Jack saw the crease of her frown.

That's when she started thrashing, her covers sliding from her legs.

"Elsa!" he said, panicked, "Elsa, wake up!"

"Please no," she moaned, still deep in sleep, "Not the room! I don't want to!"

"WAKE UP!" he roared, but her eyes still didn't open- beads of sweat glistened on her forehead now, and Jack was seriously beginning to wonder if he should throw a snowball at her, just to wake her up.

"Please-" she whimpered, and the sound of her plea was so heart-breaking, that Jack sat on the bed and pulled her to him. Immediately, she stopped moving.

Her hand knotted into his sweatshirt, and her head relaxed against his torso. He felt every nerve on his body awaken, as he held her tighter.

He eased his legs onto the bed and relaxed his back against the bed-frame, one arm around Elsa's shoulders.

"Thank you," he heard her whisper sleepily, and he smiled down at her, though he saw nothing but the top of her blonde hair.

"No problem, Snowflake."

…

Jack hadn't been able to fall back asleep, instead staring into the darkness of the room, letting Elsa's regular breaths sweep over him. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of protection as he laid there, holding her. He enjoyed the feeling of her head against his chest, and stroked her hair every once-in-a-while, as if to remind himself that she could see him, she could touch him. He was real, he was solid.

Though he still didn't know how she could see him, if she hadn't believed in him.

 _She believes in you now._

He smiled at the thought.

His mind flashed back to that moment in the library, when he'd thought, for a terrorizing second that the arrow would pierce Elsa's skin.

 _What am I doing?_ he thought. _She's the Queen. And I'm a phantom, that none of her loved ones will be able to see._

But he couldn't stop himself, as he stroked a thumb down her hair again. He wanted to know everything about her-

 _Woah. Stop, creepy guy._

He shook his head, closing his eyes again. He thought about that girl, Katie, what she'd been about to say.

 _What would really be useful, would be to find a way to know exactly what Katie saw, that made her a target._

And then it hit him.

How could he have been so stupid so as not to have seen it before?

"Elsa," he hissed, and she sat up, pushing herself up with the help of a hand pushing down on the place where her head had been. He shivered as the warmth of her body against his left him.

"What is it?" she said, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"We're going." he said, jumping off the bed, and walking to the armchair where he'd spent a good part of the night, picking up his staff.

"Jack, it's five in the morning," she said, yawning and stretching. "Where are we going?"

 _She is so adorable, it should be made illegal._

"You're going to meet my friends."

…

Elsa held tight as Jack flew North, the wind howling in her ears as her hair whipped out from the braid they'd be tied in. She closed her eyes to protect herself from the wind, burying her face in the space between Jack's neck and shoulder.

She found herself enjoying the sensation of his arm around her waist (the other was holding his staff) more than she should. She went back to that moment where she'd half-awakened from dreaming about- about one of the punishments she'd endured, to find herself in Jack's arms… she'd felt safe. Protected in the cocoon of his arms.

What must he think of her, she thought. The way she'd curled up against him- she'd just felt so at _ease_ , in that semi-awake state… but she'd only known him for three days- four, if you counted today. She couldn't behave like that or he'd think…

He'd think she was easy.

And she _wasn't_. She was the reigning Queen of Arendelle, and she _definitely_ wasn't easy.

But, she could tell herself to behave another way all she wanted- she still felt safe, protected, comfortable in his arms, even though she was flying high above any sign of solid ground.

…

Jack flew in through an open window of North's fortress. He flew through the corridors, finally arriving to the Globe Room, and gently set Elsa down on her feet. When she was on her own two feet, she looked around. Everything was dark, the room only lighted by the small golden dots that symbolized the children of the world.

"Wow," she breathed as she looked around, her gaze focusing on the huge globe.

"Every light represents a child who believes in us," whispered Jack, though there was no reason to be quiet. But the sun had not yet raised, and all was silent, giving them a sense of intimacy. He looked down, and was very pleased to see that there were goose-bumps on her arms.

"Are you cold, Snowflake?" he whispered, his mouth inches away from his ear. She shivered.

"No. I'm nervous." she said, not turning to look at him, though her body seemed to lean back almost unconsciously against him. He bit his lip.

She was making this so hard.

"Am I the one making you nervous?"

He barely heard her whisper back.

"Yes," she said. His heart skipped a beat, his throat gone dry, but before he could answer, the lights switched on, and the booming voice of North echoed down to them.

"I hope the intruder goes by the name of Jack Frost, otherwise I'm moving."

Elsa moved away from him immediately. He hadn't realized he'd been standing so close behind her in the darkness. He was pleased to see that her skin was flushed, and she averted her gaze from his.

"It's me, North." he coughed.

North appeared behind them, and Jack saw his eyes widen as he took in the windblown girl in front of him, her eyes, so stunningly blue, a little terrified as she took the impressive man is.

"You brought a _giiiiiirl_ ," North said. Both Jack and Elsa flushed a deep red colour.

"Hello," she curtsied, and Jack swallowed back a grin at North's stunned expression. He doubted anyone had ever curtsied to him before. Then he saw understanding dawn on North's face.

 _This is going to be good._

"Your Majesty!" he gasped. "I'm so sorry- only teasing Jack, you know-"

"Elsa's fine." she said, and Jack saw that she was smiling, amused.

"North, we need to talk to Tooth. I would have gone directly to the Tooth palace, but it would've taken too long to fly to China, so I came here."

"Sure. Should I call Bunny and Sandy too?" he said, already walking towards the lever.

"I- I think you should," he said, throwing an uncertain look at Elsa, but she shrugged. "I have a lot to tell you. To _all_ of you."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. _Me too?_ she mouthed, and he nodded, before winking at her. She looked away, but Jack saw her smile, before she bit her lip. He watched as she fidgeted, looking up at the trap door that revealed the moon.

North coughed behind him, and he jumped. North looked at him, eyebrows raised. He shrugged, in answer to the question he hadn't asked aloud.

 _What is she doing here?_

Jack grinned up at him, and a gleam in North's eyes told him that he wasn't as discreet as he'd hoped he was.

…

The Sandman was the first one to arrive. Elsa had seen him emerge, a floating, completely golden little man. He'd smiled and waved at her.

"I know you!" she'd exclaimed. "I saw you when I was little, but I thought I'd imagined you!"

Sandy had looked enchanted at her words, and had floated around her for a full minute before Jack had intervened.

"Okay, calm down little man, she likes you too."

Bunny arrived next.

He'd emerged into the Globe Room looking disgruntled and anxious.

"If this is about your belly again, I swear I'm going to murder you with-"

"Your bare hands?" had finished North.

"They're _paws_ , how many times do I have to tell you-"

"Bunny," had interrupted Jack before he could say anything more, "This is Elsa."

"Elsa?" he'd said slowly, his gaze fixing on her. This wasn't at all how she'd pictured the Easter Bunny. He was much more- there was no other word for it- impressive than she'd thought he'd be. And taller.

"Hi," she'd squeaked, seeing that Jack edged a little closer to her, noticing that she was getting a little overwhelmed about things.

"Elsa, as in _Queen_ Elsa?" he said disbelievingly.

"That's right," said Jack, with something like a warning in his tone. But before Bunny could even answer, Tooth flew into the room.

The first thought that entered Elsa's head was that this was one beautiful, colourful woman. She was covered in feathers of vibrant purple, green and yellow, and two wings batted behind her. She sent a stunned look Jack's way, and he grinned at her, as if to say, _I know right_. A tiny fairy, like a minuscule version of the tooth fairy flew towards Jack, squeaking excitedly, and flew around him.

"Hey Baby Tooth," he laughed, and Elsa felt her heart flutter a little as she saw him smile at the fairy, his white-toothed grin infectious.

"What's going on?" The Tooth Fairy asked, looking around at them, her eyes finally falling on Elsa. She made a very peculiar noise- it was kind of like an excited shriek, as she hurtled towards Elsa, her face now inches from her own.

"You must be Elsa!" she squealed, "I've heard so much about you!"

"You- you have?" she said, more bewildered and amused than concerned.

"And about your teeeeeth! Come on, open up, let me see!"

"Wha-" she started, but then Tooth was opening her mouth with her fingers and examining Elsa's teeth.

"They're as white as Jack's!" she said, excitedly, but then was pulled back by none other than him.

"Come on, Tooth-"

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I'm Toothiana,"

"Hi," Elsa said, now grinning from ear to ear, and refraining from laughing. Jack seemed relieved at her expression.

"Okayyyyy," said Bunny, "now that we're all properly introduced, why doesn't somebody tell us what's going on?"

Jack turned towards him and launched himself into telling what had happened during the last few days. He told them everything, though Elsa noticed that he refrained from telling them about the snow fight.

"You put him in a _cage_?" said Bunny, folding his arms as he looked at her.

"Yes- yes, I thought he wanted to murder me-" she said quickly, not wanting to get onto Bunny's bad side, but to her great surprise, his face split into a grin.

"You," he said, putting his arms back at his sides, "are my new best friend."

She grinned. She was absolutely _loving_ this.

"Ha ha ha," said Jack, ironically, "hilarious, Bunny. Anyway, so there's these Southern Isles guys that want to marry her-"

And he told them about the suitors, the dates in the mornings, and finally what had happened in the library- what he thought about Katie's murder, and finally he turned directly to look at Tooth.

"The girl- she was young. Maybe something in her memories- something could tell us what she overheard."

"You want her teeth," said Tooth slowly. Elsa was getting confused.

"Her _teeth_?!" she asked, bewildered.

"Children's teeth- they contain the most important memories of childhood." Tooth explained quickly, as if what she'd just said made completely sense, before turning back to Jack. "If she was young, maybe… But I'd need to have one of her teeth, now, and add it to her baby teeth… it could work…."

"You want to take her _teeth_?" Elsa repeated, a little shocked.

"Trust me, Snowflake." Jack said quickly, before turning back to Tooth. Elsa saw North raise his eyebrows at the nickname, and she felt herself blush a little.

"It's important, Tooth. I think this has something to do this Pitch- it has _everything_ to do with Pitch-"

" _Pitch_? But- but you told me- I thought you guys got rid of him!" blurted Elsa, and she saw the five of them throw her an uneasy glance. Jack broke the awkward silence.

"She has a right to know, you guys." He mumbled and after a second, the four of them nodded.

"Pitch is… Okay so we should start at the beginning. Pitch can't die, because he's an immortal being like us-"

"Wait. You can't _die_?"

Jack nodded slowly.

"How old are you?" she said suspiciously, and Jack smiled uneasily.

"I'm nineteen," he said.

"How long have you been nineteen?"

"Um…" he muttered, "Can we talk about this later?"

Bunny and North were chuckling in a corner, their eyes swivelling between them.

"ANYWAY," Jack said loudly before Elsa could answer or insist, "A few months ago, Pitch made a come-back and kind of nearly killed us all, tried to take over the world, all that stuff-"

"Jack saved us," Tooth said proudly, ruffling Jack's hair as he blushed a little.

"Couldn't have done it without Jamie," he mumbled. Elsa threw him a questioning glance. "Jamie is the first kid who believed in me. The first mortal who could see me, too. I was completely invisible before." The pained look in his eyes made her heart twinge for him.

 _What that must have felt like…_

"So, yeah, we drove Pitch away, but a few weeks ago, kids in the Southern Isles started having nightmares, and I went to investigate. Elsa, I didn't tell you this before, but the alliance- and maybe that was what Katie was going to tell you- it's bullshit. They're raising an army, and they're going to invade Arendelle. They're just stalling, planning on marrying you-"

"Why didn't you tell me this _before_?" she gaped at him.

"I didn't know if you'd believe me." he said quietly. "I wanted to show you this place first, so that there wouldn't be a doubt in your mind that I was telling the truth."

"If you'd told me _yesterday_ -"

"You would have believed me? If I'd started throwing conspiracy theories at you, when you barely know me? Hate to break it to you, Snowflake, but you have _big_ trust issues and I had to be sure that you would believe me-"

"Fine," she snapped at him. "But what has this got to do with Pitch?"

"Pitch came to talk to me. He was the one that told me about you. I didn't know you existed earlier, or I would have come to find you sooner." As he said those words, he flew to her, dropping on his feet directly in front of her.

"I swear." he muttered, just for her, and Elsa, though still angry, couldn't help but soften as she believed him.

The moment was broken by Bunny, who coughed forcefully.

"Right," said Jack, "Anyway, I think that Pitch and the Southern Isles have made a deal- Pitch will help them invade Arendelle, and in exchange, they give him… you."

" _Me_? But why would Pitch want me?"

"We think," intervened Tooth, "that he wants to use you to beat Jack."

Her gaze snapped onto Jack, her eyes widening.

"Oh," she breathed.

"Elsa- if Pitch gets what he wants- right now you, but eventually to terrorize everyone, plunging us into the Dark Ages again-" Jack started.

"You want me to help."

"I want us to help each other." he whispered, and Elsa bit her lip. What choice did she have? If what they were saying was true- and she believed them, surprisingly- then she was in even more trouble than she'd thought she'd been. She needed their help.

She nodded at Jack.

"I'll help you," she said softly.

"We have to go back to Arendelle," Jack said, "Or someone's going to notice you're gone. Pitch doesn't know we have any idea that we've caught on, and we have to use that to our advantage."

She nodded again.

"Tooth, I don't know if Katie was going to tell us something important, but we have to check. It could help us. Will you come with us, take a tooth, and try to extirpate a memory from them?"

"Of course, Jack. Whatever you need," she said, her wings already springing to life behind her back.

"North, Bunny, Sandman-"

"We'll have an eye out for anything suspicious," North finished.

"Sure thing, mate," said Bunny, and Sandy nodded energetically. Jack grinned at them.

"Good. Well, Snowflake," he said, turning to face Elsa again, "time to go."

"It was nice meeting all of you," Elsa told them, advancing towards Jack and rapping her arms around his neck, as he hugged her against him with his right arm.

"Coming Tooth?" called Jack, and Tooth took off, leaving through the window that let the moon in, though it was now gone as the first rays of sunlight seeped through the windows.

"Hold on tight," he whispered to her, and her skin tingled.

Then he launched himself into the air, and they were off, Elsa's mind still spinning from all that she had learned.

But, she thought, as the icy wind hit her once more, she wasn't alone any more.


	10. Anna's Return

**Chapter 10: Anna's Return**

Anna looked out at the sea. She could already faintly see the outline of the coast of Arendelle. She squealed, jumping up and down.

"Look, Kristoff! I can see Arendelle!"

She turned to face her fiancé, and saw that he was- once again- kneeling over the edge of the boat, retching.

" _Again_?" she said, exasperated. Kristoff had been seasick since they'd left North Africa by boat. Clearly, he was more at ease lost in the mountains and knee-deep in snow than in the middle of the ocean, on a ' _wooden, floating piece of wood_ ' as he'd called it. The captain of the boat had looked deeply insulted at his words.

"It's not like I can _help_ it, Anna," he grumbled, wiping at his mouth. "The quicker we'll get to Arendelle, the happier I'll be."

"KRISTOFF! ANNA!" they heard, as a small snowman ran out to them, what looked like a minuscule swirling cloud of snow above his head, the only thing that had kept him from melting in Africa.

"What is it Olaf?" said Anna, smiling down at him.

"Sven ate my nose again!" he whined, and Kristoff readied himself for what was coming.

"You've got to teach him to stop doing that, Kristoff," said Anna, turning back to him.

"He's a _reindeer_ ," sighed Kristoff, "Eating carrots is what he does! Olaf should just stay away from him!"

"But they're _friends_ ," insisted Anna.

"Sven is a reindeer. Olaf is a snowman. GIVE ME THE CONNECTION."

"You are _such_ a spoilsport."

Kristoff's face split into a grin.

"A handsome spoilsport," he said advancing towards her, and pulling her towards him, his hands on her waist.

"Maybe, but your breath smells like vomit. I'm not kissing you."

"Fair observation," he said, chuckling as he let her go. Anna turned back to watch Arendelle appearing on the horizon, as Olaf was trying to get Kristoff to let him use another carrot for his nose.

"Olaf, that's the sixth carrot this _week_ -"

Soon, she would see Elsa.

Soon.

…

"Oh my lord," whispered Elsa, "we are so not supposed to be doing this-"

"Come on, Snowflake, don't pretend you haven't done things you weren't supposed to do before," chuckled Jack mischievously.

"If by ' _things I wasn't supposed to do_ ', you mean taking a tooth from a _cadaver_ , then NO, Jack, I haven't!" she hissed angrily.

"Point taken," he muttered.

"Elsa, you'll just be standing guard. Jack and I will go in and take the tooth." said Tooth softly. They were walking- well, Elsa was walking, Jack and Tooth floating beside her- the castle's corridors towards the chapel, the morning sun lighting their way. No one was even up yet.

They emerged into the freezing courtyard, Elsa leading the way, and she pushed open the small stone chapel's front door. There, in front of them, on a table dressed by a white napkin, lied Katie, covered in a white dress, her hands intertwined above her heart.

"I don't want to look," said Elsa, shivering and turning away from the sight.

"That's fine, Snowflake. We won't be long. Tell us if anyone's coming," said Jack, before following Tooth inside. She knew that that was just a ploy to make her feel useful, because even if someone _did_ wander into the chapel at this early hour, they wouldn't be able to see Jack _or_ Tooth.

She was grateful all the same.

…

"Hurry up, Tooth," muttered Jack, glancing uneasily at the body of the servant, "I want to get out of here."

"Do _you_ want to take her tooth? Maybe you'll be faster," she said, irritated.

"Um- No thanks." he said, and he heard a breezy laugh escape from her.

"So," she started as she worked, "You succeeded in gaining her trust."

"Not all of it," Jack murmured, so that Elsa wouldn't overhear, "Still working on it."

"What do you think about her?" Tooth asked in a casual tone, and Jack turned to look at her.

"What do I- Oh no. I'm not having this conversation with you, Tooth."

"Just curious," she said defensively, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

An awkward silence settled in.

"She seems great," she tried again. Jack took a while before answering.

"She is," he muttered. Tooth didn't answer.

"Finished!" she said after ten more minutes, "Let's go."

They stepped out of the chapel, to find Elsa sitting on a bench nearby, doing her best effort to act natural.

"Did you get it?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Jack.

"I'm going to go to the Tooth Palace right away," said Tooth, "And I'll try to draw a memory out of the tooth, though I haven't ever done it from an adult tooth before."

"She was really young," added Elsa.

"I'll come back as soon as I can."

Elsa and Jack nodded, and Tooth fluttered into the air. They looked at her go until she was out of sight.

"Well, then it's just you and me again, Snowflake,"

"Sadly." said Elsa as she stood up and walked towards the castle.

"Stop lying. You _adore_ being alone with me. You'd like to be alone with me all the time-"

"That would be a _nightmare_ ," she said, teasing, as she passed the double doors at the entrance of the castle, but before Jack could answer, Elsa stumbled into a man in the entryway. Jack recognized him immediately as one of the princes from the Southern Isles.

He groaned.

"I'd completely forgotten you had to hang out with these jerks every morning," he said, and judging by Elsa's expression, she'd forgotten too.

"Prince Erwin," she said, regaining her composure.

Jack wondered how she did to remember all their names.

"I'm Prince Damien," said the prince.

Well, that answered his question, he thought as he snorted. Elsa threw him a look, and he did his best effort to look innocent.

"Forgive me. I'm quite confused today," she said, curtsying respectfully. Jack rolled his eyes, and felt a jab in his ribs from Elsa's elbow.

" _Hey_!" he cried out, indignant, "It's not my fault you can't come up with anything better than ' _I'm confused_ '!"

"Shall we go?" asked the prince, offering Elsa his arm and she graciously took it, following him. He led her to the Royal Gardens - _did these guys have absolutely no originality?_ \- Jack following suit. They sat down on the same bench where Elsa had sat down just yesterday with Prince Broderick.

That seemed like such a long time ago.

Jack sat on the bench's frame, his feet next to where Elsa sat. The moment the prince started talking, Jack tuned out of the conversation.

…

Two hours had passed since the prince had brought her to the Garden. They'd talked about every single topic of small talk on the planet, and strangely, Jack had stayed silent.

Elsa strongly suspected that he'd fallen asleep.

She hadn't even bothered asking Prince Damien what he'd do if he was King. She didn't plan on making any of them king, if either way, Arendelle would go to war.

"Yes, it's summer a big part of the year at the Southern Isles-" she dimly heard the prince droning on about his country, as she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Her night of adventures was taking a toll on her.

She thought about Jack's friends. She'd immediately fallen in love with the group they formed together, each one of them having a defined role in it. She'd loved seeing the teasing, the affection- well, she didn't know if it had been affection emanating from Bunny, but she hoped it was- and how Jack had looked happy amongst them. She wished she had friends like that.

Her thoughts turned to her sister, on her way now. If the letter had arrived two and a half weeks after she'd sent it, it had been almost three weeks since Anna had departed. How much time would it take for her to make the journey from Africa to all the way up north?

Then she heard a shout from behind her, and turned to Jack, no longer behind her but five foot in the air, looking deeply shocked.

"What in _blizzard's_ name-" he said, a panicked tone in his voice. She followed his gaze, and saw, running towards her-

"Olaf!" she gasped.

"Elsaaaaaaaa!" the snowman shouted, as he launched himself in her arms.

"I need an explanation." she heard Jack wheeze out, still looking deeply traumatized by what he was seeing. " _Elsa._ _ **Now**_."

"But- but if you're here- then-" she stammered, the realization dawning on her exactly at the same moment another voice rang across the garden.

"ELSA!"

Elsa raised her gaze, and her breath caught in her throat.

"Anna," she said, tears swelling in her eyes, blurring her vision.

"Your sister?" Jack said, turning to look at the princess.

But Elsa didn't answer, launching into a run at precisely the same moment Anna did, and they half-collided into each other, hugging.

"I missed you so much-"

"I missed you too-"

"I have so much to tell you-"

"CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON-"

"No need to shout, Mr White-Hair." Elsa heard Olaf's voice, and she turned, still holding on to Anna, to find Olaf staring directly at Jack.

"You- you can see me?" blurted Jack, before turning to Elsa. She noticed that he was still flying a safe distance away from Olaf. "I'm starting to seriously freak out over here, Snowflake."

But Elsa didn't have time to tell him anything, as she saw the prince standing up from the bench and beginning to walk towards them. She turned back to her sister.

Probably best to warn her.

"Anna- Hans' brothers are here."

" _What_?"

"Yes, they want to make a marriage alliance-"

"They have some _nerve_ -" she said, flushing in outrage.

"I'll explain more later," said Elsa hurriedly, "but please be polite. And- don't hit anyone."

Before Anna could answer however, the prince was standing directly next to them. He bowed down, and Anna curtsied, with an expression on her face that told Elsa that she'd rather have been kissing Sven.

"It is an honour to finally meet you, Princess Anna."

Anna made a disgusted sound that kind of sounded like ' _The honour is mine_ ', and Elsa heard Jack snort.

"I like her already," he said, and Elsa flashed a smile at him. He landed next to her, and Elsa squeezed his hand briefly, as if to apologize for not answering him in front of Anna and the prince.

"I'd like to officially apologize for my brother's behaviour with you. I couldn't understand it before, and even less now that I see your beauty in person."

Elsa bristled. Was the guy _hitting_ on her sister?

"I think she's quite beautiful too, if I may say so myself," said a voice, and Elsa turned her head to see Kristoff standing behind her, a protective hand on Anna's shoulder.

"Hi, Kristoff," Elsa grinned, and he grinned back.

"And you must be the princess' fiancé," said the Prince, and Kristoff nodded at him, all trace of a smile gone.

"Very well. I'll leave you, then."

Elsa nodded, as the Prince returned inside.

"Little piece of southern-"

" _Language_ , Kristoff," said Anna, tapping him on the chest.

"Sorry. What a disgusting little-"

" _Kristoff_ -" started Anna, as Elsa burst out laughing.

"So, Elsa- are you going to introduce us?" asked Kristoff, gesturing towards Jack.

"You can see me _too_? What is this, a Jack Frost fan club?"

"You don't have a fan club, Jack," said Elsa, rolling her eyes.

"You don't _know_ that- maybe somewhere in Iceland-"

"Who are you guys talking to?" asked Anna, looking half-concerned, half-curious.

"What do you mean, who are we talking to?" Kristoff asked. "And what do _you_ mean, you're Jack Frost?"

"Okay, okay, everyone stop for a second," said Elsa. "Anna, I'm going to ask you to trust me."

"Okayyyyy," said Anna, looking more and more confused by the second.

"You're going to have to believe, without the shadow of a doubt, that there's someone else in the Garden too."

"Someone _else_?!"

"Yes. Believe me. You have to have no doubt in your mind that there's a guy right next to me, right now, that you can't see."

Anna looked at the spot next to Elsa where Jack was, frowning a little.

Then, suddenly, she lurched back into Kristoff, who caught her, her eyes wide.

" _What the_ -"

"Hi," said Jack, throwing a look from underneath his lashes.

"Hello," Olaf's voice came from right next to him, and Jack took a sudden step back.

"He's fine," said Elsa. "That's Olaf. I made him."

"What do you mean, you _made_ him?!"

"Elsa, who's this?" asked Anna again, her shock disappearing, replaced by curiosity.

"This," she said, turning to Kristoff and Anna, "is Jack Frost."

" _The_ Jack Frost? The Spirit of Winter?" Kristoff said, stunned.

"You've heard of me?" questioned Jack.

"If I've _heard_ of you? Geez, if Grand Pabbie could see this-"

"The trolls?" asked Elsa curiously.

"You can't grow up with the trolls, and not believe in the Spirit of Winter," explained Kristoff. "Though you look less impressive than I thought you were."

" _Hey_!" said Jack indignantly.

"I have a lot to tell you," said Elsa to Anna, cutting Jack's retort before he threw something cold at Kristoff's face.

"Obviously," she replied. "Let's go to my rooms, you'll tell me everything there."

…

An hour later, Elsa was sitting on an armchair beside the fire in Anna's bedroom. She'd finally finished telling Anna all that had happened since Jack had turned up in the gardens, and had told her almost everything (conveniently forgetting to tell her about the snowball fight, or that Jack had woken her up during a nightmare). Anna looked stunned, sitting down on a chair opposite hers, and Kristoff looked just as horrified, standing next to her. The only one who didn't look at all interested by what she was saying was Jack, who was examining Olaf, muttering under his breath.

"So," said Anna after a minute of silence, "The Southern Isles want to attack us, but first they want to marry you because- this guy that threatens children wants you- so he can beat Jack Frost, who is the reason he didn't take over the world a few months ago."

"That's pretty much it," said Elsa.

"And they killed a servant, who was going to tell you something- so you are going to try to discover what she wanted to tell you by giving one of her teeth to the Tooth Fairy, who can extract memories from it." she continued slowly. Elsa bit her lip and nodded, knowing that she sounded completely mad.

"Elsa, if I didn't know better, I'd think that you'd gone completely crazy," said Anna.

"I know it's a lot to take in," said Elsa, "but I'm telling the truth."

"I know you're telling the truth."

"And we'll help you in any way you ask us to." said Kristoff, and Elsa smiled tiredly up at them, as Anna reached to take her hand and squeezed it.

Then, Kristoff coughed, looking at Anna, and she flushed.

"Actually," she muttered, "We have something to tell you too. Though less critical-"

"What?" asked Elsa, alarmed at Anna's hesitation.

"Well- um- I know I promised to- you know- show restraint during our vacation-"

"Oh no," said Elsa, wincing. "I _really_ don't want to hear about your sex life Anna-"

"What's a sex life?" asked Olaf, and Jack let out a cough that sounded a lot like ' _Awkwaard_ '.

"Anyway," she said quickly, "We got a little overenthusiastic in Amsterdam-"

"Geez, that's a poor choice of words," chuckled Jack, "I can feel Elsa cringing from here."

"Jack, you're not helping," muttered Elsa.

"Elsa- I'm pregnant."

"You're _what_?" Elsa exclaimed, standing up rather quickly from where she was sitting.

"We're going to have a baby," repeated Kristoff, looking a little scared now.

"But- but Anna, you're _eighteen_ -"

"I feel ready, Elsa, I swear! I love Kristoff, and I know I want to spend my life with him. We're just starting it a little sooner than what was planned."

"A little- a little _sooner_?!" the queen choked.

"I told you she was going to react badly," murmured Kristoff.

"No! No- I'm not reacting badly." said Elsa, taking a few breaths. "I'm thrilled for you," she continued, taking Anna's hand. "I really am. I was just- taken by surprise."

Anna's face split into a grin, and Elsa couldn't help but smile back.

"Though this means that you're going to have to wed soon," she said. "If you begin to show and you're not married, that child will be considered a bastard. Not that I care-" she said quickly.

"But the counsellors will." finished Anna.

"I don't really care what they think either, but if you want your child to be able to be a potential heir to the crown of Arendelle-"

"It's fine Elsa, we've already thought of it. Kristoff and I were actually thinking of getting married on Christmas Eve. Which means the Christmas Ball will be a wedding celebration, though."

Elsa thought about this- and turned to Jack abruptly, who was looking at her.

"Are you thinking the same thing I am?" she asked him.

"I don't know. Personally, I'm thinking about what's under that dress," he muttered mischievously throwing her one of those heart-stopping glances, so that Anna and Kristoff couldn't hear them.

"Jack, my sister's right _there_ -" she hissed back, though she felt herself blushing.

"What are you thinking?" he said louder, so that Anna and Kristoff could hear them.

"If Anna and Kristoff get married on Christmas Eve, the counsellors will postpone the announcement of my engagement. It could buy us more time."

"Sounds like a plan," said Anna, seeming relieved that her sister hadn't freaked out about the short-time span between now and her wedding.

"I'm going to tell the counsellors right away." said Elsa, walking towards the door, before turning back to them. "Anna, we have dinner at six thirty with the King, Queen and the princes of the Southern Isles. Please don't be late."

Anna groaned.

"Coming, Jack?" she asked, and Jack followed her out. She closed the door behind her, but not before she heard Olaf ask Anna:

"What's underneath Elsa's dress?"

She turned to glare at Jack.

"What?" he said defensively. "It's not my fault if the snowman eavesdrops!"

…

The councilman took the news worse than Elsa had thought they would.

"But, your Majesty, the alliance-"

"This will make the King very angry, your Majesty-"

"Are you sure the wedding can't wait, your Majesty-"

"No, I'm most certainly sure it can't." she snapped. "My sister's wedding is just as important, and if she wants it to take place on Christmas Eve, then it will take place on Christmas Eve."

That had shut them up.

She'd spent the rest of the afternoon with Jack, wandering about the grounds of the castle and talking about the financial reform she was working on, that would be able to pay for the creation of a health insurance for the citizens of Arendelle. To her surprise, Jack hadn't teased her at all, but had seemed deeply interested, asking questions, and offering insight.

"Of course, I'll have to take my power back first." she'd said, downcast. Jack had seized her arm, to stop her, and she'd turned her face towards him.

"You'll get your power back," he'd said in a deeper voice than usual. "And I'm going to help you- because- Elsa, you're going to be an amazing queen someday. Arendelle's lucky to have you."

"Thank you," she said, a knot in her throat. Then she'd kissed him quickly, fleetingly on the cheek, surprising even herself. He'd grinned at her, and her heart had pounded faster.

But much too soon, it was dinner time, and Elsa made her way to the dining room. Anna and Kristoff were waiting for her.

"Okay, so remember, they're probably going to be mad when I tell them the announcement is being postponed, but we can't get angry. We have to be irreproachable."

"Stop worrying Elsa. It's going to be fine." Anna said, and took Elsa's hand in hers as Elsa pushed open the doors.


	11. The Dance

**Chapter 11: The Dance**

"When _will_ the alliance be announced then, if your sister's wedding takes place on Christmas Eve?" demanded the King, his voice shaking with controlled fury.

"The date has yet to be set," said Elsa, the image of grace, as always. Most unlike her sister, Jack noticed, highly amused. You could see on Anna's face that all she really wanted to do was insult the whole bunch of them.

"Do I have to remind you that we will invade your country if this alliance doesn't take place?" snarled the King.

"It _will_ take place," insisted Elsa. "Just not on Christmas Eve."

"Fine," snapped the King irritably, giving in. "I will negotiate the new dates with your counsellors."

Elsa didn't even flinch at the thinly-veiled provocation, though Jack gritted his teeth.

"Did I mention how I really hate that guy?" he muttered in Elsa's direction, and Elsa mouthed ' _Me too_ '.

His thoughts flashed back to that afternoon, when Elsa had told him about her plans. He'd been more than impressed as her eyes had taken a far-away look. He'd fallen in love a little, while she'd talked on and on about how to pay for the health insurance she wanted to start, without raising taxes.

And then he'd told her how she'd make a great queen, and she'd looked at him with those _eyes_ \- and she'd kissed him.

 _On the cheek_ , added an annoying voice in the back of his mind, but still. And though everything in him screamed that this would only lead to more sorrow for the both of them, he just couldn't get enough.

"You will negotiate the dates with my sister," he heard Anna say, pulling him back to reality, "Because _she_ is the Queen of Arendelle."

"Anna," said Elsa warningly.

"With all due respect, miss-"

Now it was Elsa's turn to look affronted.

" _Miss_?! My sister is a _princess_ , and is to be addressed as such!"

"My sister is kind enough to host all of you here after what Hans tried to do, when personally I would have told all of you to go _fuck_ yourselves-"

"HAHAHA ANNA," said Elsa loudly while Jack burst out laughing, doubling over, "What the princess means-"

"What I _mean_ ," interrupted Anna, "Is that you should be grovelling for our forgiveness, and not coming here with only threats and disrespect!"

"I really, really, really, really, _really_ like her," said Jack, while Elsa was visibly trying not to laugh.

"I think it is time we bid you a good night," she announced quickly, stopping the retort the King was about to throw Anna's way, which was sure to lead them to even more hostility. If that was possible.

Elsa stood up and left first, Kristoff following- but he stopped and looked back, noticing that Anna was not behind him. Jack followed his gaze, and saw that Anna was still seated, glowering at the King, who looked rather unnerved. Jack was beginning to wonder if Kristoff was going to have to physically restrain Anna from attacking the King.

"I _really_ don't like you." she said finally before getting up and taking Kristoff's hand as they left, leaving the stunned royals behind them.

…

"That. Was. _Incredible_." laughed Jack, doing a kind of loop in the air.

"I know, right?!" Anna said excitedly, looking up at him. "Did you see how I put him back in his place!"

" _Yeah_ , and then the way you _looked_ at him-" joined in Kristoff.

"It wasn't funny, you three. That could've gotten really serious," said Elsa sternly, as she walked fast in front of them.

"Aw come on Snowflake, you were _giggling_ -"

"I most certainly was _not_!" she said, at the same moment Anna exclaimed, "You _were_?!"

Elsa looked back at her sister, and Jack saw her eyes soften.

"Okay, Anna, maybe I was _a little_ impressed, but don't do that kind of thing again-"

"Did you hear that?!" Anna squealed. "Elsa was _impressed_!"

"Don't let it get to your head." Elsa muttered, and Jack chuckled. He loved watching Anna and Elsa together- maybe it was because Anna was the only person that could make Elsa completely let her guard down, or maybe it was just the fact that they were sisters- but Elsa didn't seem to hold back in any way… as she sometimes seemed to hold back when she was with him.

"We should probably get to bed," said Elsa looking at the three of them. Elsa and Anna hugged, whilst Jack and Hans looked at each other awkwardly.

They parted ways at the top of the staircase, Jack and Elsa going right as Anna and Kristoff went left.

Elsa pushed open the doors of her room, letting herself and Jack in.

"So- I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Jack said, walking towards the window.

"Jack," she called back, "Where have you been sleeping?"

"On the roof," he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You've been sleeping _on the roof_?!"

"No need to look so shocked Snowflake, the roof is plenty comfortable-" he started saying in an insulted tone.

"Do you want to sleep with me?" she interrupted, looking straight at him. He froze for a second, before bursting out laughing.

"Well- um- I would _love_ to sleep with you- but- you know, maybe it's kind of early in our relationship-"

Elsa's eyes widened in horror.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way-"

"I know, Snowflake," he said, still laughing, "I'm teasing. You should see your _face_ though-"

"DO YOU WANT TO SLEEP HERE OR NOT?" shouted Elsa, her face red.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I'll sleep here." he said, struggling to regain his breath.

"Good." she said, regally.

Jack turned around while she changed into a nightgown and got into bed. He then sat down on the armchair he'd slept in the night before.

He heard her snort in laughter.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"' _It's a little early in our relationship'_ , honestly," she said, and Jack dissolved into fits of laughter again.

…

When Elsa woke up the next day, rain was pounding against the windows, and her room was submerged in a dull grey light.

She turned her gaze to the armchair where Jack had fallen asleep in-

To find it empty. She pulled the covers of the bed off her legs, and ran to her window, pulling it open.

 _Where the_ _ **hell**_ _is he?_

She bent over the window as far as she could go, trying to see past the violent sheet of rain-

But then she felt two hands on her waist, and someone pulled her back inside her room, slamming the windows shut.

"Are you _mad_ , leaning out of the window like that?!" said Jack, looking down at her. She only now noticed that he was a few inches taller than her.

She smiled.

"I was looking to see where you'd gone-"

"I went to fetch you breakfast!" he said in disbelief, "I won't do it again, if it gives you suicidal urges!"

"It doesn't give me suicidal urges," she snapped. But then she looked behind him, and saw that in his haste to pull her away from the window, he'd dumped his staff and food on the bed.

"You brought me _breakfast_?" she said, her annoyance vanishing.

"Thank you for catching on," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"But _why_?"

"Well, I noticed you have a really bad habit of skipping meals-" but Jack stopped talking as she leapt on the bed, pulling the tray of the food towards her.

"I would've done it sooner, if I had known you would like it so much," he chuckled as he sat down beside her on the bed. She looked up at him, her mouth stuffed with blueberries before gulping them down.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly. "This is really good."

An odd look passed in Jack's gaze, but it was gone as soon as it had come.

He grinned at her.

"So," she said, "I'd like to know how old you are."

Jack groaned and flopped backwards on the bed, now facing the ceiling.

"Do you _have_ to know?" he grumbled.

"Honestly, the way you're reacting, you'd think you were three hundred years old-" Elsa started, exasperated, but she stopped talking at the look on Jack's face.

" _Are_ you three hundred years old?" she uttered in disbelief.

"Uh- Maybe?" he said.

Before Elsa could answer however, the door burst open to reveal Anna, breathless.

But whatever Anna had wanted to say, she'd clearly already forgotten as she took in the scene before her; Jack, laying on Elsa's bed, and Elsa herself, in nothing more than a white night gown.

"You are such a hypocrite!" said Anna, grinning.

"Anna, it's not what it looks like-"

" _Of course_ it's not-"

"Sadly, it's really not," mumbled Jack.

"I knew there was something going on-"

"There's _nothing_ going on-"

"I am _trying_ not to feel insulted over here-" Jack intervened again.

"You have to tell me _everything_ ," said Anna, closing the door behind her and launching onto the bed with them. "How was it?"

"How was _what_?" said Elsa, sounding thoroughly exasperated.

"Your _first time_!" Anna answered, as if it was obvious, but then added, her eyes widening; "Was this not your first time?!"

" _NO_ , Anna-"

" _YOU HAD SEX WITHOUT TELLING ME ABOUT IT_?!"

"ANNA," shouted Elsa, "WE DIDN'T HAVE SEX!"

"Oh," said Anna in a small voice, with so much disappointment in her face that Jack felt that it was his duty to pat her on the back.

"Don't lose hope," he said in a grave voice. "Maybe it'll happen someday."

" _So_ ," cut in Elsa, "What did you want to tell me?"

"The Counsellors have decided that you don't have to spend every morning with the Princes!"

" _What_?!" said Elsa, standing up from the bed. "But _why_?!"

"I think the King barged in and quite insulted them after last night," she explained, "So this is their way to punish him."

"Great!" said Jack, "I was getting tired of pretending to be interested by their plans of world domination."

"Why would you have to pretend to be interested? They couldn't even _see_ you."

"Definitely not the point, Snowflake," he countered.

"Anyway, Kristoff's waiting for me, we're taking Olaf to the village. See you later!" said Anna as she ran out of the room after grabbing a piece of toast.

"That was _my_ toast," Elsa said, outraged.

"Do you know what this means? We have the _whole_ day to ourselves," said Jack, grabbing his staff and leaping from the bed.

"No. This means _you_ have the day to yourself. I, however, am going to-"

"Don't say work. Please don't say work."

"Jack- I'm the _Queen_ -"

"Oh, come _on_ -"

"It's raining anyway," she said, gesturing towards the window.

"So? Since when rain has been an obstacle to having fun?"

Elsa ignored him, walking to her desk. He followed her.

"Come on Elsa, you've been working way too hard."

"Not true," she protested, "I haven't worked on something new in days-"

"Yeah, well, you've been kind of busy trying to prevent an invasion-"

" _Still_ , I can't just forget my other duties-"

" _Elsa_. Until we get rid of the counsellors and the way they are leading the country as we speak, you won't be able to pass any bill anyway," insisted Jack, and watched as Elsa threw her arms to the ceiling in exasperation.

He grinned, knowing that he'd won.

"Fine," she said. "What do you want to do, then?"

"I don't know," he said. "What do _you_ want to do?"

Elsa frowned, thinking.

"I _could_ show you my Ice Palace," she muttered.

Jack perked up.

"Your _Ice Palace_?!" he said.

"Or I could show you the music room," she said quickly as if she wanted nothing more than to take back her proposition, but Jack had already swung open the window.

"No way," he said, shaking his head, "I want to see that Ice Palace."

"It's not _really_ a palace-"

"Come on, let's go." said Jack, taking her by the hand and pulling her towards the window.

"Wait! I have to get dressed first!"

"Hurry up," he huffed, rolling his eyes, jumping up and down.

Five minutes later, Elsa told him to turn back around and for a second he forgot all about that Ice Palace he'd been so eager to see.

Elsa had dressed into a simple dark blue dress that reached her ankles, and stayed close to her body, hugging her bodice and hips. Her hair swept over her shoulders, bringing out the colour of her dress, and at her feet were-

"Heels?" Jack asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"You have something against heels?"

 _Quite the opposite, Snowflake._

"No, but maybe they're not the most appropriate shoes for-"

"Trust me, I'll manage," she said. "Are we going?"

"Well, if you ask like that," Jack grinned, going to the beautiful queen and pulling her to him, letting the moment last a split-second more than it should have before lurching out of the window, enjoying the feeling of Elsa's hands tightening around his neck as the wind caught them, propelling them higher.

…

Anna threw herself into Kristoff, her sword hitting into his. He grunted as he pulled back. Then, with a swing, he knocked Anna's sword out of her hand.

She groaned in frustration.

"I am so _bad_ at this," said Anna.

"No you're not," Kristoff reassured her, "You're just putting too much of your balance on your right side. And you leave your left side unprotected."

"So what you're saying…" said Anna, "is that I'm bad at this."

"You're not _that_ bad," said Kristoff, ruffling her hair.

They were alone in the training room, because nobody was training at this hour.

 _Lunch hour_ , he thought darkly.

But Anna had begged him to train her at sword-fighting (not that he was much of an expert, having lived with trolls and all that), so he'd missed lunch.

If that wasn't a proof of love, he didn't know what was.

"I just want to be able to defend myself if Hans returns," she mumbled, and Kristoff put his arm around her.

" _I_ can defend you if Hans returns," he said, trying to be comforting.

"Oh well in _that_ case…" she said airily.

"Seriously?" he asked, hopeful.

" _No!_ I can't depend on a man to defend me!" said Anna indignantly. "What kind of a message is _that_?"

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "Pick up your sword, then."

…

Jack finally landed in front of the icy stairwell that led to the enormous ice castle. He looked up in awe as Elsa combed her hair with her fingers, trying to tame it after the wind had blown it into a tangled mess.

"You _built_ this?"

"Yep," she shrugged, though he detected a hint of pride in her voice. "It was different before, though. I had to rebuild it a little after Hans and his men broke in."

"They _broke_ _in_?!"

"Yes. I think some of them only wanted me to stop the winter, but two men tried to stop it another way- Coming?" she was already half up the staircase, but he hadn't moved. He followed her up, marvelling at the details of the ramp.

"When you say they tried to stop it another way- do you mean they tried to kill you?" he asked. Elsa didn't answer for a full minute, and he'd given up all hope that she would- having, once again, shut him out. Like that moment in the gardens, when he'd asked about her past…

"They cornered me in a room of the palace. Two of them." she whispered so low, that Jack had barely heard her.

"Cowards," Jack muttered angrily, as Elsa opened the double doors… and all thought was driven out of his mind.

It was beautiful.

Everything was ice, the floor, the walls… even a frozen fountain stood, just next to a sweeping stairwell that led upwards. His reflection stared back at him, eyes wide, as he took in what he was seeing.

"Wow," he breathed. "Elsa… this is beautiful."

"Thank you," she said softly. "I haven't been back here since- since after Hans' trial."

"So what happened?" he questioned again, following her up another staircase, his voice echoing in the icy silence surrounding them. "After they cornered you?"

"They had crossbows, and they tried to shoot at me so- I defended myself. It's one of my biggest regrets."

"To have defended yourself is one of your biggest regrets?" he said disbelievingly, his eyebrows raised.

"I nearly killed them." she said quietly. "And I would have, if Hans hadn't stopped me- I suppose, despite everything that happened, I owe him that."

"They would have deserved it," he said, and Elsa didn't answer.

Finally, they arrived onto the landing, and Jack followed the queen past another set of doors, and tried to take in what he was seeing.

The room was magnificent; the floor was engraved by a large, icy snowflake; a huge chandelier made of icicles was suspended from the ceiling, and doors opened on a balcony that gave a breath-taking view of the mountains around them.

"This is incredible," he said, grinning, as he passed Elsa and walked out to the balcony. The wind ruffled his hair, and he felt her come next to him. He turned to look at her, offering her a grin.

"And you were going to show me the music room!" he snorted.

"It's a very good music room!" she retorted indignantly.

"Yeah, well, this is better," he said, turning back inside the room. His thoughts flashed back to that moment, when they'd been alone and surrounded by darkness in the Globe Room.

 _Am I making you nervous?_

 _Yes._

He looked around at the icy room again. There wasn't much furniture; two chairs were facing each other next to the balcony, and the only other thing in the room was-

A phonograph.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, going to examine the machine.

"It was a present. For my coronation. One of the first ever made; they can't be bought anywhere yet, the inventor- Edison, I think he's called- insists on perfecting it. I brought it here after I came back to govern."

"How does it work?" he asked curiously. He heard the sound of her heels approach him, and saw her bend towards the phonograph. He heard her slide something into it, and lower something that looked like a needle;

And then a beautiful sound wafted through the air.

Jack recognized the sound of a piano- violins-

"It's my favourite piece of music." He heard her say, and he pushed upon his thigh to stand up. He then bowed dramatically down, looking at her from underneath his eyelashes.

"May I have this dance?"

Elsa laughed.

"Yes, sir, of course you can." she said, taking his hand as he led her towards the center of the room.

"I don't really know how to dance, though," he said, looking at her, and she chuckled.

"You ask people to dance when you don't even know _how_ to dance?" she teased.

"I hadn't really thought it through," he admitted.

"Well you have to put your hand on my waist," she explained, taking his hand and placing it there, "And take my other hand."

He did so, his heart thundering in his ears. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"We have to get a little closer," she said and he happily obliged, his arm tightening around her. He looked down at his feet as Elsa started to move.

"Jack, you have to look at me."

He looked up, and found his face so close to hers that he could see each of her dark eyelashes. He found that his feet were moving automatically, as if they were following a pattern learned long ago.

"You're leading," she said, impressed. He lifted his arm and she twirled. He caught her as they turned together, dancing from each side of the room.

The music swelled around them, becoming more intense, and when the song reached a climaxing note, Jack put both of his hands on Elsa's waist and lifted her up. She squealed a little as her feet left the ground.

"You're really good at this," she said, when he made her twirl again.

"Don't act so surprised, Snowflake," he grinned, as their hands joined again. There was something in her eyes that he hadn't seen since the snow fight- wonder… but this time it wasn't directed at his powers.

It was directed at him.

"Can I ask you something?" she said softly.

"Anything," he breathed.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to- it's just- I was wondering… how-"

"How I died?" he finished, as the music came to a close. But Elsa didn't step out of his embrace; on the contrary, she looked up at him, not glancing away.

She nodded.

"How did you know I died?" he said, after a long pause, the room completely silent now.

"I assumed," she whispered. "I never saw you eat. And your age was a good indicator."

"Ah," he laughed, though it sounded hollow even to his ears. "As smart as you look, then."

"It's fine, Jack. You don't have to tell me- I shouldn't have asked."

She tried to let go of him, but he tightened his grip around her. Their bodies were glued together, their breaths mingling.

"I went ice-skating with my sister," he said, whispering so low he wondered how she could hear him, "And ice broke under her feet. I saved her, pushing her out of the way, but- I fell through."

Elsa didn't utter a sound, but she put both her hands on his shoulders.

"I don't remember much." he continued, looking down at his feet. "Just the pain. The water- it pierced me like a thousand knives. I drowned."

He heard her intake of breath.

"What happened?"

"When I woke up, I was floating above the frozen lake. I didn't remember anything." He paused, feeling a pressure in his throat.

"I never saw my sister again. And nobody- nobody could see me. I was completely invisible. People walked through me, as if I didn't even exist-"

He blinked furiously back tears, but something told him she'd noticed. He felt her hands on his jawline, and he lifted his gaze to her face, his eyes still watery.

"When I was little," she said, maybe speaking even lower than he had, "my sister and I played with my magic. We built snowmen, and I made it snow in the ball room, stuff like that." She held his head in her hands, but she needn't have. He looked down at her face, holding his breath. He didn't want to do anything that would make her stop talking.

"One day, I hurt Anna. I sent a blast of magic in her eye by accident. She healed, but after that my parents thought it best that I be isolated from everyone- even Anna. Counsellor Archimedes used to hit me when I lost control of them, and sometimes-" she suddenly stopped talking. Jack felt her trembling against him.

"Go on," he said softly. She closed her eyes.

"Sometimes he'd lock me up in this room. Except it wasn't really a room. It was completely dark, and it was so small I couldn't sit down. I couldn't even lean on the walls, because there were spikes on them. I had to stand for hours, waiting for him to let me out. If there was an inch of frost on the walls, he'd lock me up again. It was- it was so dark and cold in that room-" a shuddering gasp escaped her. As if she couldn't bear to look at him, she leaned her forehead against his chest, and his arms twisted around her.

"Not even Anna knows," she whispered. "I don't know if I could bear it if she did."

He rested his chin against her hair. Finally, he knew. She'd let him in, and he didn't want to break the moment as they were both so raw, so vulnerable…

"I'll kill him," he said determinedly. "I'll kill that man for what he's done to you."

She let out a sound that sounded like both a laugh and a sob. They stood there for a while, intertwined, having each given the other such a fundamental piece of themselves that they could hardly believe it themselves.

Jack held the Queen of Arendelle with all his might as the sun started to set on her Ice Palace.

…

Hans flinched as Pitch screamed in rage.

"Read. It. Again." he ordered.

"It's no use reading it for a fifth time," snapped Hans. "The words won't change, you know."

So fast he didn't even see the movement, Pitch slammed him against the wall, holding him by the throat. Hans felt his hand squeeze on his windpipe, as he gasped for breath, his eyes bulging. He let go of the letter, sent by his father, that he'd received by pigeon no more than ten minutes ago.

"I WILL TOLERATE NO DISRESPECT FROM YOU OR YOUR USELESS FAMILY, WHO ARE NOT EVEN CAPABLE OF STICKING TO A VERY SIMPLE PLAN!" Pitch roared, before letting Hans drop to the ground. His knees buckled underneath him, and he massaged his neck as he tried to regain his breath. Pitch turned away from him, his cloak sweeping the floor. The greyish tinge of his skin was enhanced as his cruel features were now contorted with rage.

"It's not their fault if princess Anna has decided that she wanted to marry her good-for-nothing fiancé on Christmas Eve," he said, and Pitch turned to look at him again. Hans flinched underneath his gaze.

"Well, I'll have to come up with a new plan, I suppose," Pitch sneered. "And I will not show an ounce of mercy. Everyone will bow down to _me_ , with a little help from the Ice Queen."

"How can you be so sure she'll help you?"

"Trust me. She'll help me," he said, as he swept from the room.

And for the first time, Hans wondered if he hadn't made an enormous mistake.

…

During the flight home, Elsa felt that something had changed between her and Jack. A boundary had been broken, as they had both seen their deepest, darkest scars…

She couldn't imagine what he'd went through when he'd risen again. How he must have felt- remembering nothing about who he was, where he came from, wondering why people couldn't see or feel him, as if he wasn't part of their world, without ever knowing why…

His vulnerability in that moment had been so heart-breaking that she hadn't even made a conscious decision to tell him about her struggles, her fight to forget, every night, what she'd endured…

Jack swooped into her room, and gently let go of her. She swayed, trying to regain her balance. They hadn't spoken since they'd left the Ice Palace.

Elsa saw that he was staring at her, apparently being as much at loss to what to say as she was. He was staring at her though, from underneath his lashes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she said.

"Am I not allowed to look at you now?" he teased, though his voice sounded off.

"Of course you're allowed to look at me," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Am I allowed to do _more_ than look?" he asked mischievously, taking a step forward, his staff on his shoulder.

"Yeah, don't push your luck," she said, shaking her head as she grinned, fighting the blush that was appearing on her cheeks.

"If I didn't know better, Snowflake, I'd think you had a _crush_ on me." he teased, and this time there was no holding back the blush that tainted her cheeks.

"I most certainly _do not_ have a crush on you," she said, outraged.

"Awwwww. You _do_!"

"I do _not_!" she snapped.

"Yeah you do. It's okay Snowflake, I kind of have a crush on me too," he said, laughing, as Elsa started hitting his chest. Not that she was hurting him much.

"You _obnoxious_ , _arrogant_ -"

He grabbed her wrists before she could hit him another time. He opened his mouth- certainly to say something that would send her into another rant about his being suck an arrogant prick, but before he could say anything, a cheerful voice wafted from behind them.

"Hello you two," she said cheerfully, but stopped as she took in the both of them; Elsa, looking semi-flustered, semi-furious, and Jack, gripping Elsa's wrists, looking highly amused.

"Er- am I interrupting something?"

"No!" said Elsa quickly, at the same moment Jack said "Yes, Tooth, you are."

Elsa ripped her wrists from his grip and sat down on the bed, doing her best effort to look regal.

"Um- so, I got Katie's memories-" Tooth started, and at once Elsa stood up again, looking as if she'd completely forgotten what she thought of the Spirit of Winter.

"And? Can we discover anything?"

"Well, as only a fairy can reveal someone's memories, I have to show you myself; but you have to hold on to me, or you won't be able to see a single thing. In normal conditions, only the person to who the memories belong to can access the memories in question."

"Okay, let's do this," said Jack, gritting his teeth. Tooth flitted over to them, and pulling from underneath her feathers a small, golden, long box with beautiful blue, green, and violet patterns.

"Elsa, grab my arm. Jack too." she ordered, and they did so. Then, Tooth lied a hand on the box's patterns.

And Elsa was blinded by a dazzling, white light.

…

 _Katie was taking care of her sick mother. She'd been ill for as long as Katie could remember, and they only survived with the meagre pension that the bar where her mother used to be a waitress gave them every month. It was barely enough to buy enough wood to keep them warm, and enough food to keep them fed._

 _Katie was at her mother's funeral. She was alone in the church, with only the priest, dressed in black robes, and an open coffin where her mother laid. If she didn't know better, Katie would have thought she was asleep. Rain pounded against the stained-glass windows, falling as steadily as the tears on her cheeks._

 _Katie had sold the house where she'd grown up, to pay for her mother's debts. She had taken a job at the castle, and served the Queen herself. She was always warm now, always fed. And though she missed greatly her mother, her life had taken a turn for the better._

 _Katie prepared the bedroom for one of the princes of the Southern Isles. She felt hands on her hips, and turned around suddenly. Behind her, one of the princes, with a shock of red hair, leered at her. He'd pushed her on the bed and had ripped her clothes off, before knocking her out, exasperated at her struggles._

 _She was crying now, in her bed, her friend Isabelle, another servant, asking her what was wrong. She pushed her away when Isabelle tried to touch her; she couldn't bear being touched. She just wanted to wash of the scent of the prince, his marks on her…_

 _Katie listened as she made the bed, listened to the argument between the King and one of the princes. She knew instinctively that it was the one who'd attacked her, and she wanted nothing more than to run away… but something kept her glued to the spot._

 _"_ _I know, the situation is getting out of hand with the boy- I thought if I married Eleanor, he would come back to his senses," was saying the King._

 _"_ _Father, they still meet in secret, whenever they can, and I know for a fact that he thinks he loves her, and can't bear for her to be mistreated."_

 _"_ _I WILL MISTREAT MY WIFE IF I WANT TO!" the King roared, "SHE IS_ _ **MINE**_ _, NOT HIS!"_

 _"_ _Father, if I may- I think he may betray us."_

 _"_ _You think he'd go that far?! Choose this- this woman, over our country?"_

 _"_ _Yes, Father. I think- we may have to dispose of him."_

 _"_ _I will talk to him," grumbled the King. "If he refuses to change his mind, then you will stage a little accident for him- before we invade Arendelle."_

 _Katie was running towards the library now-_

"STOP!" Jack heard Elsa scream as if from very far away. "I don't- I can't see her die again, I just can't-"

And just as suddenly as it had started, the memory vanished, and Jack found himself in Elsa's room, gasping. Elsa was trembling, and Jack instantly strode over to her, putting his arm around her as he looked at Tooth.

"Thank you Tooth," he said. "We'll manage now."

Tooth simply nodded, and flew out the window, leaving them behind her.

…

"I can't believe it," gasped Elsa. "I- I let them come _here,_ in my _home_ , and they- they-"

"I know, Snowflake. I know," he said softly.

"Katie was _raped_!" Elsa shouted, as if saying it aloud could change something. "She was raped, and I didn't even _know_!"

She was pacing now, and Jack noticed that frost was starting to cover the walls.

"How could you have known?" he asked, but he could have been talking to a doorknob, for all the impact it had on Elsa.

"She'll have a royal burial. And I'll force every one of those horrid- disgusting- _princes_ to kneel before her coffin if I have to-"

"An honourable plan," he said, though not getting his hopes up that she would give him any more attention than she had for the last half-hour, since Tooth had left.

"I _hate_ them, the whole bunch, stupid, power-hungry-"

"Maybe one is different though," he said quietly, and Elsa rounded on him, her eyes flashing. Before she could start shouting on him though, he lifted his hands in the air, as if in surrender.

"Hear me out."

Elsa looked at him, hesitating, then crossed her arms over her chest.

"We heard the King and one of the princes say that another one of the princes was in love with the King's wife."

"Which is gross," Elsa said, and Jack couldn't help but grin a little, though immediately became serious again as Elsa noticed.

"Anyway, they were talking about one of the princes betraying them. If we could find that Prince, we could get more information on Pitch's whereabouts-"

"We're talking about _twelve_ princes. How are we supposed to guess which one it is?"

Jack looked up, a glint of malice in his eyes.

"Well that part's easy," he said. "We ask the Queen."


	12. The Ally

**_Note:_** Hi everyone! I'd really like it, if you're enjoying this (or not), if you could review this fiction, so I know what I'm doing wrong or doing right. That's all I guess… Enjoy, and have a fantastic day!

 **Chapter 12: The Ally**

Four days after Jack and Elsa had seen exactly what Katie had tried to tell Elsa, they were no more advanced on finding out which prince could maybe be on their side. The only way to know, they'd decided with Anna and Kristoff, would be to ask the Queen herself, or have her followed, which Elsa had decided that they would only do if the Queen refused to tell them anything.

But it seemed that the Queen was never alone. She seemed to always be surrounded by guards, Elsa had told Jack the previous night, with no chance at all to talk to her alone.

Before they'd realized it however, it was the day before Christmas Eve, and Anna and Kristoff's wedding was imminent. The palace was swarmed with servants, preparing for tomorrow, when all the inhabitants of Arendelle's capital city would come to witness the ceremony. Elsa felt as if she hadn't completely realized that her sister was getting married, what with everything going on, and felt a little guilty that she hadn't spent as much time helping Anna prepare for the wedding as she should have. So, after another horribly silent dinner with the Southern Isles royals, Elsa directed her steps towards Anna's bedroom, telling Jack that she wouldn't be long, and knocked on her door.

"Yes?" answered Anna, opening the door almost immediately. "Oh, hi, Elsa. Come in, I'm just making my final decision on the wedding dress."

"You're doing that on the _eve_ of your wedding?" she asked, smiling as she entered the softly-lit room. Snow was swirling outside the window, and a roaring fire heated the room. It was extremely cosy.

"Yes, well, I'm just happy they're here. You won't _believe_ how much I had to pay extra for the short-notice," Anna said, before turning back to the three wedding dresses that dressed three black, Anna-shaped, mannequins.

"Wow Anna," Elsa said in disbelief. "They're beautiful."

The dresses were all white, contrasting with the mannequin's colour, and all superb. One had a heart-shaped corset, with skirts that billowed from the waistline, but transparent intricate lacework covered the sleeves and the upper part of the chest, stopping a little underneath the base of the neck. A glittering belt was around the mannequin's waist, and the veil was equally beautiful, training long behind the dress' end. The second one was more décolleté, but also with lace, and had more or less the same form as the first one; the last one was a simple, elegant dress that fell loosely over the mannequin's form. Elsa found it especially breath-taking, and it even had a matching silver tiara.

"I love this one," she breathed but Anna had only eyes for the first one.

"Too simple. Where's the fun? I want to be elegant."

"It _is_ elegant," Elsa protested, but not with much conviction. She knew Anna enough that she knew she would want to go all out on her wedding day, and anyway, the first one would suit her perfectly.

"You're going to be beautiful," smiled Elsa, as Anna fiddled with the veil.

"You really think so?" she said in a small voice.

"I know so."

Anna's hands paused as she looked up at her sister.

"You don't think I'm making a mistake?"

"What?" said Elsa, bewildered.

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?"

"Oh Anna," Elsa sighed, striding over to her sister, and pulling her by a hand to the bed, where they sat. "Is this because I said you were too young?"

"No!" said Anna, but at Elsa's look she added, "Well, maybe a little."

"I do think you're a little young for what you're launching yourself into," started Elsa, "but I also know you love Kristoff. And he loves you. I think you're doing something that will change your life for the better, though you started a little early, that's it."

When Anna didn't answer, Elsa exhaled.

 _I'm really bad at this_.

"Look, I don't know much about love," she tried again. "But I do know what it's supposed to look like. I saw it with Father and Mother, and I see it with you and Kristoff. It's normal to have cold feet, but I'm sure you're going to be very happy with him."

"Are you sure?"

"Very. It's normal to be nervous. If you really want us to postpone the wedding, I can make up an excuse so Kristoff won't know-"

"No," said Anna, "I know I want to marry him. It's just- if we were allowed to be with each other tonight, I wouldn't have any doubts at all. Not that I have _doubts_ -"

"I know. For what it's worth, I think Kristoff is nervous too."

"Why?" she said nervously.

"I saw him talking to Sven again," laughed Elsa, and Anna giggled.

"I'm sure Sven is more than capable of giving Kristoff relationship advice. I wouldn't worry," grinned Elsa, and her sister laughed again, before resting her head on her sister's shoulder.

"I'm just being stupid," said Anna.

"Loveably stupid," added Elsa and Anna slapped her wrist playfully. She jumped up from the bed and began to examine the first wedding dress again.

"Enough about me. You have to give me details on that Frost guy," she said quickly, and Elsa rolled her eyes.

"There _are_ no details, Anna!" though she knew it was a lie as she said it. In the past few days, Jack had been present more than ever, though giving her space to think when she'd needed it. And despite of everything going on, Anna's wedding, the Queen, the Southern Isles, that Pitch guy who sounded like a dangerous psychopath, they'd spent nearly every waking hour together, doing research and coming up with plans to thwart the Southern Isles… but even though she was more focused than ever in those moments, he managed to distract her. Sometimes, it was totally on purpose; he flirted and taunted, making her laugh and blush; other times, he wasn't even aware of it. The way he held his staff carelessly when he was thinking, the look he gave her when she said something, the amused grin that seemed to be permanently there, both annoying and deeply seductive- and the looks, always the looks that he gave her as he watched her when he thought she wasn't looking…

"No details huh?" Anna grinned, and Elsa couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, maybe a _little_."

…

Elsa had told him that she would be gone for less than fifteen minutes, and it had been twenty since she'd left him in her chambers. Of course, Jack wouldn't have worried more than that- she could do whatever she liked, it's not like they had a date or anything (though he secretly wished that they did have one)- but with Katie's killers still on the loose, and hostile snob royals everywhere, he couldn't help but feel _a little_ worried.

He fidgeted for a whole quarter of an hour more before finally making his decision, and going to look for her. Elsa had mentioned something about Anna and the wedding, and though he knew roughly where Anna's chambers were, he didn't know where they were located exactly in the castle. He thought it would be a waste of time to just knock on every door, so he decided to investigate the way he liked best.

He flew out of Elsa's window, and past dozens of windows at least, trying to hear or see Anna or Elsa.

Finally, he saw the familiar mop of blond hair, and skidded to a stop in mid-air. It was indeed Anna, and Elsa. Elsa was seated on Anna's bed, her back to the window, and Anna was standing next to a mannequin wearing a stunning wedding dress, looking at Elsa with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

 _Well, she's safe._

Jack was just preparing to fly back to Elsa's room, when Anna's words reached his ears.

"You have to give me details on that Frost guy," she was saying and Jack edged closer to the window, carefully keeping out of sight. He'd thought the window had been closed, but it was open a tiny crack, explaining how he'd heard Anna.

"There _are_ no details Anna." There was a pause, then Anna grinned.

"No details huh?"

"Well, maybe a _little_."

 _I really shouldn't be listening to this,_ he thought, but made no effort to move away.

"Tell me _everything_!" he heard Anna squeal.

"Well-"

"Okay first, we are in agreement that the guy is _absolutely_ gorgeous," he heard Anna say, and Elsa laughed.

"Are we in agreement?" Anna said in a falsely bossy voice.

"Anna-" she started.

"Oh Elsa, I've seen how you stare at him-"

"I don't _stare_ at him-"

"Maybe not _stare,_ but you definitely look-"

"So?"

" _So_ we are in agreement."

Jack heard Elsa sigh in exasperation.

"Fine," she gave in, "We are in agreement."

Jack grinned. She thought he was _gorgeous._

 _You're not too shabby yourself, Snowflake._

"And what is he like?" Anna asked, and there was a pause so long that Jack wondered if his ears had suddenly stopped working.

"He's…" started Elsa, and Jack leaned closer to the window, not wanting to miss a word she said. "He's brilliant."

His heart skipped a beat. This was really not something he was supposed to overhear, he decided, but before he could fly back to Elsa's room, the queen started talking again, words now spilling fast from her mouth, as if now that she'd started talking, she didn't want to stop.

"He's so different, from anyone I've ever met before. I don't know how to describe it- he's so sincere, so real. I know I probably shouldn't trust anyone except you, especially right now, but I can't help it. I already trust him. I think I've trusted him since we've met, as incredible as it sounds."

 _Well, a little after we met,_ Jack thought, smiling. _You_ _ **did**_ _think I wanted to kill you, Snowflake._

"Elsa," said Anna, so low that Jack barely heard her. "You shouldn't be afraid of trusting him."

"But what if- what if he's just playing me-"

"You can't just think that everyone's trying to play you all the time, El." Anna said, and Jack could hear a smile in her voice. "What if I thought that everyone was like Hans? I would never have been able to fall in love with Kristoff, and look what I'd be missing!"

"That's different."

"How is it different, Elsa?"

"I have to be careful. I have Arendelle to think about."

"Arendelle want its Queen to be happy." said Anna softly, and Jack decided that he had heard enough.

 _What am I playing at?_

He pushed himself away from the wall, trying to propel himself in the direction of Elsa's room, when he accidentally pushed his hand against the window, that closed with a slam.

 _Shit_.

Before he could do as much as move, the window slammed open to reveal Elsa, looking down at him, positively glowering.

"How long have you been here?" she asked accusingly.

"Not long," he said sheepishly.

"Have you been following me?" she questioned, her tone suspicious.

 _Great,_ he thought. _Now she'll think I'm actually a spy after her blood._

"I haven't been _following_ you," he said defensively, "I was worried of where you were."

"And you thought that listening to _private_ conversations would ensure my safety?" she retorted, and though her face was filled with anger, Jack detected a hint of embarrassment.

"I wasn't there long," he mumbled, "I heard some of it- but a really small part, I swear."

"You swear, do you?" she said in a higher voice than usual.

"Look, Elsa, it's no big deal, I didn't listen on purpose-"

"Sure you didn't."

"- Okay, maybe I did, but you didn't really say anything and I wasn't there for long-"

A strangled cry of outrage escaped Elsa, and he looked up.

"For the record, I think you're gorgeous too," he said quickly, hoping that the words would have a calming effect on Elsa.

They had the opposite.

"I could _slap you_ right now!" she screamed. "As if it wasn't already embarrassing-"

"What's embarrassing?!" shouted Jack loud enough to interrupt her. "That you think I can be trusted? That you think I'm someone who has _miraculously_ a little of decency? That for _once_ , you could let go of your fears, and just do what you want?"

"This conversation is over," she snapped, and before Jack could say anything more, she'd slammed the window shut in his face.

…

Jack had drifted in the wind, laying on his back and staring at the full moon above him. He hadn't dared go back to Elsa's room after their… disagreement.

He didn't want to call it a fight.

He muttered a curse under his breath, fidgeting with his staff. If only he had been smart enough to just _leave-_

Jack looked up at the Moon, irritated.

" _What_?" he snapped.

He stared up, and snorted.

"I don't need you to give me a lesson, Manny, I know I was an idiot, and she hates me now."

Another pause.

"Yeah, she does. Did you even see how she shouted at me?"

Another silence, and Jack snorted again, though there was no real amusement in the sound.

"I'm glad you found it amusing, because _I_ certainly didn't."

The complete silence of the night sky surrounded him again.

"What do you mean have I apologized?! _Of course_ I have-"

Jack righted himself in the air, switching his staff to his left hand.

"Are you sure I didn't?" he asked to the Moon. At Manny's negative answer, Jack groaned.

"She must think I'm such a jerk."

The wind whispered around him, carrying his answer.

"Go back?" he said. "She'll just throw me out."

But at the same time the words left his mouth, Jack knew that he would go back even if she _did_ throw him out. And anyway, it was already the middle of the night, close to three o'clock in the morning. There was a chance that she was asleep, and that would postpone the moment where he would have to pluck up the courage to talk to her.

"I'm going," he said firmly, before lifting his eyes towards the Moon again. "Thanks." he grinned at the wish of good luck the Moon had sent his way.

The wind picked up, and propelled him towards the castle.

…

Elsa hadn't been able to fall asleep. Her thoughts kept flitting back to that moment when she'd crossed Anna's bedroom, slamming the window open, to find Jack hover below her. She'd believed him when he'd said that he'd just wanted to check on her, but she also knew that he had purposely listened in to Anna and her, and the thought made her flush with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

She'd come back to her chambers preparing herself for another screaming match, but… he hadn't been there.

She'd slumped into bed, and she didn't know how long now she'd been laying, staring up at the canopy of her bed. At one point, without really knowing why, she'd walked to her window and had lurched it open, before going back to her bed.

It was still open, but nobody had come through it.

She sighed and turned to find a comfortable position in her bed. Had she overreacted?

But he shouldn't have been listening in. _Especially_ on that conversation-

His voice echoed in her ears.

 _What's embarrassing? That you think I can be trusted? That you think I'm someone who has **miraculously** a little of decency? That for **once** , you could let go of your fears, and just do what you want?_

She shivered, but not from cold. She sat up, curling her knees against her and resting her chin on them, staring at the window from the bed.

Would he come back?

 _Please come back_.

Though if he did, he'd better have a good apology.

She turned a second, to look at the clock- _three fifteen already?!-_ and when she turned back to the window-

Jack was on the windowsill, looking at her with a sheepish expression on his face.

Handsome as ever, she thought, and felt instantly annoyed at herself.

His white hair was ruffled by the winter wind, and his blue eyes pierced her. He held his staff tightly, his knuckles white, a sign that he was nervous.

"Do you still want to slap me?" he asked, attempting a teasing voice, but it came out rough and low.

"A little," she said, still looking at him. She didn't dare imagine what she must look like, her hair free and tangled around her shoulders, a tired look on her face, sitting up like she'd been waiting for him.

Though Jack didn't seem to notice in the slightest as he took her in, his eyes roaming for a second- just one- to her body only covered by a very thin silk nightgown.

He stepped down from the windowsill and into her room. The moonlight poured in, the only source of light.

"I'm sorry."

The words were like a release, snapping the invisible cord that had tied her to the bed. She stood up, the covers sliding from her legs, and walked towards Jack.

"Are you going to slap me?" he asked nervously.

She was so close now, he could see every blue speck in his eyes.

"No," she breathed, and saw that his eyes dipped down to her mouth.

"Good," he whispered, and she felt his breath on her cheeks. He leant forward, pulling her against him, and she closed her eyes, tilting her head backwards, a hand on his chest…

The window slammed shut, and they jumped apart. Jack laughed.

" _That_ was really bad timing," he said, grinning at her. She was breathless, her heart was racing. A second more, and-

"It's okay," said Jack, and before she'd realized it, he had grasped her hand.

"Jack-" she started, not knowing what she was going to say- tell him to stop, or continue. Before she could say anything however, he'd bent, giving her a kiss on the cheek. A mixture of relief and disappointment coursed through her.

"When I kiss you," he whispered in her ear, and she shivered, "You'll be ready."

She stared at him, and saw that his gaze was flitting from her eyes, to her lips, and back again. It was as if he was exerting all his self-control to not pull her to him.

"So," he said, his voice back to normal volume as he stepped back from her, "Am I forgiven?"

She burst out laughing.

"Was that your way to earn forgiveness?"

He grinned, and winked. Her heart skipped a beat, and it hadn't even slowed down yet.

"Well, Spirit of Winter," she said in a falsely-haughty voice, "You are forgiven."

…

The following day passed in a blur. Elsa had woken up to find Jack still sleeping, and had looked at him sleep for a full quarter of an hour before she'd summoned the courage to get up.

She'd checked that he was still sleeping, and had hastily pulled on the dress that she was to wear for her sister's wedding. It was a chiffon deeply purple dress, with a slight décolleté.

"Someone's beautiful," she'd heard Jack say, and had spun around from the mirror she'd been observing herself in.

After that, she'd rushed all over the castle, assuring herself that everything was perfect for Anna's wedding, Jack following her.

Too soon, they'd eaten a quick lunch, and, quite suddenly, she was in Anna's room. She'd told Jack to wait for her inside the chapel where the ceremony would take place.

"It's time!" she chanted as she entered her sister's room. Anna was sitting before her dresser, staring at her reflection. At the sound of Elsa's voice, she turned towards her, grinning.

"Careful, your Highness!" said a servant in a panicked voice, "You'll rip your veil off!"

"Geez Anna," inhaled Elsa, "You look stunning."

And she truly did. Her red hair was loose from her usual braids, and it had been curled to form beautiful loose locks, that surrounded her face. The vibrant colour of her blue-green eyes was underlined by a little of kohl. Her cheeks were flushed, her freckles standing out on her cheeks and nose in a beautiful pattern. The dress suited her perfectly, the veil surrounding her hair.

"You look quite good yourself," laughed Anna. "Jack listening in this time?"

"I don't think so," she said, flashing a smile.

"You two have made up then?"

"Yes," Elsa grinned despite herself.

"Good." Anna said, and she stood up, reaching for Elsa. She wobbled a little.

"These high heels are hell," she groaned, "I don't know how you do it. I'm sure I'm going to trip."

"No you won't." said Elsa reassuringly.

"Elsa- I was actually hoping that- that you'd walk me down the aisle." said Anna.

"That- that _I_ -"

"Yes. Who better to do it?" she said, gazing right at her sister. Elsa thought that she wouldn't be able to answer, her throat constricting so much.

"Anna. Of course I will. I'd love to."

…

Jack had been seated in the chapel for over two hours now. He was distracting himself by spreading beautiful frost patterns on the walls, but small enough not to be noticed. He was tempted to go look for Elsa, but he'd learned his lesson the previous night.

It was already the end of the afternoon when, finally, people began entering the chapel. Benches began to fill with people, everyone mixed; he was actually pleased to see that the King of the Southern Isles was seated next to a couple of giggling servant girls, and seemed thoroughly insulted and displeased. But Anna had insisted that on this day at least, everyone would be mixed, regardless of rank.

He liked Elsa's sister more and more with each passing day.

Kristoff entered, looking a little pale, and walked over to the end of the aisle, stopping near the altar. A stern but kind looking priest was waiting, and bowed down to Kristoff. This seemed to make him even more nervous. Kristoff's gaze flitted to the ceiling of the chapel to find Jack there, giving him a thumbs-up.

Kristoff threw him a look that clearly meant, _A thumbs-up? Seriously?_

Jack shrugged and grinned, and was pleased to see that a little colour had come back to Kristoff's cheeks.

Trumpets sounded, and the huge double doors of the chapel opened again. Everyone turned around, watching.

The first to enter was a small girl, holding a bouquet of flowers. She was followed by two other girls walking side-by-side, and throwing petals on the aisle from a basket.

And behind them-

Anna and Elsa walked slowly up the aisle. Anna was gripping Elsa's hand so hard, that her knuckles were white.

When they reached the end of the aisle, Elsa gave Anna's hand to Kristoff, who grasped it. Jack was pleased to see that he wasn't trembling anymore, as if the nerves he'd had had evaporated as soon as Anna had walked into the chapel.

Elsa strode to a free space on the bench who was closest to her sister, and glanced around. He swooped down to stand next to her, leaning against his staff.

"Looking for me?" he asked mischievously, and he saw her lips perk up. Jack turned his attention to the priest, who had started talking.

"Citizens and guests of Arendelle," he said, in a raspy voice, "We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Princess Anna of Arendelle and Sir Kristoff Bjorgman. Say your vows."

Kristoff turned to face Anna, taking both of her hands in his.

"Princess Anna," he said, loud enough for the whole room to hear. Then, he exhaled, grinning, shaking his head. "Anna."

Anna looked up at him, smiling too, barely able to keep immobile.

"I promise," Kristoff started again, staring right at Anna, "I promise to be your lover, companion, and friend. I promise to be your partner in parenthood, your ally in conflict, your greatest fan and your toughest adversary."

Anna laughed quietly, and Jack saw Kristoff mutter 'Shut up, I'm trying to get this out'. She rolled her eyes.

"I promise to be your comrade in adventure, your student and your teacher, your consolation in disappointment and your accomplice in mischief."

Jack saw that Elsa's eyes were shining unnaturally, as if tears were going to spill down her cheeks any second now.

"That is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things," Kristoff finished. The room was quiet again.

"Kristoff," Anna said, coughing to clear her throat. "I, Princess Anna, choose you, Kristoff Bjorgman, to be my companion in life. I promise to be the guardian of your dreams, the guardian of your hope, the guardian of your memories, the guardian of your fun, the guardian of your wonder and freedom as you have been mine. I will love you forever and a day, and that is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things."

The little girl ran forward, holding a cushion upon which were two rings; one, a white gold simple band, and the other a white gold ring with a small, golden snowflake, encrusted with tiny blue diamonds. Kristoff took the one with the snowflake as Anna took the band, and each put the ring on the other's finger.

"You may kiss the bride," said the priest formally, and Kristoff pulled Anna to him, positioning a hand on her cheek, and kissed her.

…

The feast had carried on for hours, and when it was finally time to open the ball, Elsa could see Anna bursting with anticipation. As the music started playing, she pulled Kristoff to the dance floor, as they opened the ball.

Jack, who had stayed at Elsa's side during the feast, suddenly leapt into the air and hang upside down, his eyes scrutinising into Elsa's face.

"What are you doing?" she laughed quietly, though everyone's attention was focused on Kristoff and Anna.

"I wish I could dance with you," he said softly, "right now, in front of everybody."

"I'd like that," smiled Elsa.

"Queen Elsa?"

Elsa's smile vanished as she turned.

"Yes?" she said icily to the Southern Isle prince who had approached her.

"I am Prince Gregory," he introduced himself.

"Ah yes," she said, "The one who could teach me a lot about military tactics."

The prince flashed her a smile, and she was so taken by surprise that she nearly smiled back.

Nearly.

"I ask your forgiveness for that. My father can be very disrespectful without knowing that he is."

"I think he knew exactly what he was saying, your Highness." she retorted.

"Yes, well, between us, I think he did too," he answered in a conspiratorial tone, a glint in his eyes.

This prince was startling her more and more with every second that passed.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, and Elsa glanced at Jack. Though he seemed far from happy, and pretty tense, eyeing the prince with a glare she'd never seen him with before, he mouthed to her that he'd wait for her here. She nodded with an almost imperceptible shake of the head, and turned back to the Prince.

"It would be my honour," she said, curtsying, and placed her hand in his offered palm. He led her to the dance floor, and placed his hand on her waist as she placed hers on his shoulder. They started moving in time with the music, and Elsa couldn't help but notice that no blush was creeping up her cheeks. No shyness seeped through her, no flutter of her heart, no wonderful feeling of protection… that was what she'd felt when she'd danced with Jack. She risked another glance in his direction, and she saw that he was watching her. He winked. She bit down her answering smile.

"May I offer my sincerest condolences, your Majesty," said the prince. Her gaze snapped back to his face.

"Your condolences?" she asked.

"For your servant." he explained.

"Oh." she said in a quiet voice. Then, a horrible suspicion struck her. "Did you know her?"

"No. She used to prepare the rooms of one of my brothers, though."

"Which one?" she asked sharply.

"I think it was Kyle's one, your Majesty. Why?"

"Just curious," she mumbled, though she noted the name somewhere in the back of her mind.

 _Prince Kyle._

Was he the one that had raped her? There wasn't a clear face in Katie's memories, but Elsa was still determined to find the prince that had committed that unforgivable crime.

The music ended, and she immediately let go of the prince. He bowed to her, and she curtsied.

"Elsa!" she heard Anna call, and she turned around. "Elsa, could you play music for us?"

"What?" she said, bewildered, but understanding dawned on her as Anna was running towards her with a violin. "Oh Anna- I haven't played in ages-"

"Come _on_ , Elsa," said Anna, jumping up and down with the violin. Her happiness was contagious, and Elsa grinned.

"Anna, I'm going to mess up-"

"You _play_?" asked an impressed voice from behind her, and she saw Jack had flown to her.

"I used to, but I haven't practiced since my coronation-" she stammered.

"Come on, Elsa, _please_."

When Elsa continued to look hesitant, Anna took her hand.

"For me. You know the tune I love. You play it so perfectly."

"Oh, Anna," she sighed, closing her eyes. "Fine."

She took the violin, feeling the instrument under her fingers. She'd loved playing the violin, before, but it had been so long-

"What if I mess it up?" she whispered in Jack's direction. Anna had already grabbed Kristoff again, running to the centre of the dance floor.

"You won't." he whispered back.

She raised the violin to her cheek, took the bowstring that Anna had left in a nearby servant's hands, and raised it to touch the strings.

She exhaled.

Then, she played.

…

The minute Elsa played the first note of that violin, Jack could have sworn that the whole hall had stopped breathing. Everyone's eyes were on her… and his was too.

The music filled the ballroom, and it was a beautiful, passionate tune, the kind you couldn't resist dancing to. Though the beginning was hesitant, Elsa became more confident of what she was doing as the song carried on. The minute the orchestra realized what song she was playing, slowly they joined in. Drums and pianos sounded, but the tune of the violin dominated them all.

And Jack watched.

The Queen closed her eyes as her fingers moved faster and faster, the bowstring moving in graceful movements.

She began to move in time with the music, and the people around her started dancing. Jack laughed in exhilaration.

She became the music, and the drums, and the bright, beautiful being dancing as she played, her feet following a pattern that only she knew.

 _Okay, I'm impressed._

She opened her eyes, and stared right at him. She was grinning from ear-to-ear, and Jack clapped his hands in time with the music. She danced and twirled around him, as he turned so that she would still be in his eye-sight. She threw him a look from underneath her lashes that awakened his senses, and he felt his heart beat faster.

 _She's going to be the death of me._

She jerked her feet, and suddenly her heels were gone, and she was barefooted. Her feet moved so fast they were a blur. Jack's mind flashed back to the previous night, in that room- it had taken everything he had not to kiss her, because he'd felt that though she wouldn't refuse him, she still had reservations. And now, it took everything he had not to put that violin away and drag her into a corner, kissing her against the wall…

Then, the music ended. Elsa, flushed and breathless was looking at him, the ballroom applauding.

Another tune started, but Jack flew to Elsa and grabbed her hand. He pulled her away from the middle of the ballroom, out the open doors that led to the gardens.

"You are amazing," he said breathlessly. She smiled.

Then, without warning, she grabbed a handful of his hoodie and pulled her to him. He was a mere inch from her mouth. He put a hand to keep his balance on the column beside her, trapping her as he did so between his arms.

"You like torturing me, don't you?" he asked, and she smiled up at him. He raised a hand, and gently stroked her lips with his thumb. She licked her lips in anticipation, not breaking his gaze.

"Stop _following_ me, Gregory, are you _completely_ mad?" they heard a voice close to them, and Jack groaned.

"Is this going to happen every time?" he grumbled. Elsa, though, was looking deadly serious, and lifted a finger to her mouth, to tell him to be silent.

"They can't hear me anyway, Snowflake," he reminded her, but still shut up at the dark look she threw his way.

"It's Queen Eleanor's voice," she whispered.

"The Queen of the Southern Isles?!" he asked, and Elsa nodded. He threw a glance behind the column and saw that indeed, there was a red-headed girl, rather pretty, who was scolding the prince Elsa had danced with earlier.

"She's with that Gregory guy," he muttered to Elsa, who couldn't twist around to see what was going on without risking being seen.

"Are there guards?" she whispered, and Jack shook his head.

"Not that I can see."

"Eleanor, nobody can see us here," Gregory was saying.

"The King knows. I'm sure of it." The Queen answered him.

"He can't know."

"Trust me, he does. He's forced me to bed him for three nights in a row."

"What else did he do to you?" Gregory said, and though Elsa couldn't see him, she heard the anger in his voice as surely as Jack did.

"Nothing." she said quickly.

"Don't lie to me," Gregory said softly. "Please don't."

"There's nothing you can do about it!" Eleanor said, and Jack saw that her eyes were glistening in the lights of the ballroom. Gregory grabbed her wrist, and pulled back the long sleeve of her dress.

Jack gasped.

"What? What is it?" Elsa whispered urgently.

"She's got an enormous bruise on her arm," Jack said to Elsa. "It's- it's really bad."

"I'll kill him," they heard Gregory mutter. Eleanor was shaking her head, silently crying. Gregory looked at her, and Jack saw his anguish. He took Eleanor in his arms, hugging her against him, stroking her hair, whispering softly words that Jack couldn't hear.

"They really love each other." he said to Elsa.

Gregory kissed Eleanor on her forehead, and then her mouth. The kiss wasn't deep, but filled with tenderness.

"We'll escape. I swear to you that you will be free," they heard Gregory say.

"I want to be free with you," Eleanor wept. "I'm so afraid to be away from you."

"Oh my love, that will never happen." Gregory rested his head on her red curls.

"Never."

…

Elsa stayed perfectly immobile, listening, Jack describing to her what was happening when they weren't talking. This was the prince that was in love with Eleanor.

And now that she saw them together, her heart broke for them. But as she listened to Gregory reassuring Eleanor, her eyes noticed something behind Jack.

It was the King. Eleanor's husband.

Walking straight this way.

"Jack," she whispered urgently. "The King is behind you."

"Shit," he exhaled, turning to look. And sure enough, there he was, strolling right to where they were.

"He's looking for Eleanor," said Elsa.

 _And he's going to find her in the arms of her lover._

She had to do something.

Pushing Jack off her, she walked around the column. When Gregory and Eleanor saw her running towards them, they sprung apart.

"Queen Elsa!" gasped Eleanor.

"Don't worry, I mean you no harm." she said quickly. "Trust me."

Elsa intertwined the queen's arm around her own, at the same precise instant the King appeared from behind the column.

"Your majesty," Elsa said graciously. "How pleasant of you to join us."

"Queen Elsa," the King said, surprised. "I was looking for my wife."

"I'm so sorry, I'm afraid I pulled her away from the festivities," said Elsa. "I wanted to take a walk, and asked if she would accompany me. We met Prince Gregory here, and were just talking about… about…"

"About the princess," intervened Eleanor, her voice surprisingly steady. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Very." said the King, a hint of impatience in his voice. "May I ask that the Queen and my son go back to enjoying the festivities, your Majesty?"

"Of course. I didn't mean to keep her to myself all evening." Elsa agreed, and watched as Eleanor joined her husband, who seized her arm.

As they walked away, Eleanor looked back at Elsa, and nodded.

 _Thank you._

"Do you think he suspected anything?" she asked Jack.

"I think," he said, his eyes laughing, "that you're a brilliant actress."

She smiled, and Jack added: "And that you've just made yourself a new ally."


	13. Everyone Loves the Sleigh

**_Note:_** _Hi everybody! I just wanted to tell you that if you see any grammatical errors, let me know. English is actually not my mother language, though I learned it very young, and I really want to improve if there are any problems. And please review the chapter too! Thank you for the kind reviews, and have a great day!_

 **Chapter 13: Everyone Loves the Sleigh**

The next morning, Elsa had woken to see Jack hovering over her.

"Wha-" she jumped, startled. "Were you watching me _sleep?_ "

"What?! No! You honestly think I'm _that_ creepy?"

"I don't know, you tell me, you're the one looking down at me," she retorted, sitting up.

"I was checking to see if you were awake," explained Jack, landing on her bedside.

"Why?" she asked curiously. Though it wasn't early in the morning, it definitely wasn't late either, no reason to wake her up.

"I have something to give you," he grinned, "before we go down for breakfast with the others."

"Go down for-"

Then, it hit her. She groaned.

"It's Christmas, isn't it?"

"Wow, Snowflake, I think that was the first time in my very long existence that I heard someone say that with so much _displeasure_ in their voice," laughed Jack, sitting on the bed, a hand in the front pocket of his hoodie, and the other holding his staff.

"Yeah, well," she sighed. "I haven't had the best experience of them."

"Is that so?" he probed, cocking an eyebrow.

"Never mind," she said quickly, getting up and swinging the door of her closet open, "Anna loves Christmas, and I'm not going to ruin the day for her. This is going to be our first Christmas together since my coronation so-"

"It's kind of a big deal," finished Jack quietly. She didn't answer, focusing on the inside of her wardrobe and pulling a dress out at random. Before she could ask him to, he'd turned around.

Elsa hurriedly wriggled herself into the dress, biting down a smile.

"You can turn around," she said, as she concentrated on her mirror, tying her hair into a loose braid. She was wearing a long-sleeved deep red dress, who had for only ornament white-lace snowflakes that surrounded her small cleavage.

"Well before you're going to start stressing out about making this the perfect day for Anna-"

"I'm not _stressing out_ -"

"As I said, I have something to give you."

She turned around to look at him. He'd walked around her bed and was now looking at her, wearing a sheepish smile.

"You mean like a Christmas present?" she asked slowly.

He nodded.

"Jack- I don't have anything for you-"

"That's okay Snowflake," he chuckled, "I kind of made it while you were sleeping, so it's not like I got it beforehand or anything, and you've been kind of busy."

"But so have _you,_ I didn't even think-"

" _Elsa_ ," he puffed impatiently, "It's fine, I swear."

And though she wanted to argue that it was definitely _not_ fine, something in Jack's face made her shut up. He pulled his hand out of his front pocket, and Elsa's eyes widened.

From his hand dangled a beautiful, silver necklace.

"Can I fasten it around your neck?" he asked, and she nodded, turning around and lifting her braid. He approached, and Elsa's skin tingled as his hands brushed the base of her nape, attaching the necklace. Elsa looked down, seizing gently the pendant between her fingers.

"Wow," she breathed.

What she'd thought had been silver was actually a cord of _ice_ , so thin and shiny you could easily mistake it for a thread of silver, and a snowflake, so magnificently detailed that it took the breath from her lungs.

"I think this is the result of my eight attempt at doing something that looks more or less decent," Jack said awkwardly, and she turned again to face him.

"Something _decent_?" she wheezed, in a kind of shaky laugh, "Jack, it's amazing. Look at how you managed to make it out of the perfect amount of ice; and the snowflake, I mean it looks like some parts are just floating around it-"

"You like it then?" he interrupted, grinning.

"If I _like_ it?!" she said, her voice unusually high. "It's _beautiful_. Thank you."

His white-toothed smile widened, and he ruffled the back of his hair in a terribly adorable way. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly swept a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. Then, before she could change her mind, she gave him a sweet, brief kiss on his cheek. She felt herself blushing, but Jack was looking at her with his eyes laughing.

"If I had one of those each time I gave you a gift, I'd give them more often," he said, laughing. At her stern look, he dropped his grin. "Not that I would expect something in return for the gift- I didn't mean-"

"I sure hope you didn't, because the only thing you'll be getting for the next present is a ball of hard ice in your face."

"Got it. No presents," he said, nodding in mock-seriousness. She turned, hiding her laugh from him, and marched towards the door of her bedroom.

Though she could've sworn Jack had added ' _In your dreams_ ' under his breath. She hid her answering smile.

…

Jack opened the double doors of the dining room for her, and bowed dramatically, succeeding in making her snort. He saw the necklace he'd given her glinting around her neck, and he couldn't help but grin again.

The dining room was different than usual; he'd only truly seen it during the meals with the Southern Royals. On those occasions, the huge windows that made up a big part of the wall only revealed darkness and snow. Servants surrounded the tables, and everything was illuminated by candlelight.

Now, however, the pale light of the morning winter sun poured in, and no servants were in the room, whose only occupants were Anna and Kristoff, eating a delicious-looking breakfast. Jack glimpsed fruit juices, eggs, bacon, and toast…

"MERRY CHRISTMAS ELSA!" shouted Anna, jumping up and running towards her sister, jumping in her arms. Elsa laughed as she hugged Anna back. Jack walked over to Kristoff, seated, apparently very engrossed in a letter.

"Merry Christmas, Jack," he said absent-mindedly.

"Thanks, you too," he smiled, observing the tired lines on Kristoff's face. "Rough night?"

"You have no idea," Kristoff looked up, "Olaf was running around the castle at six in the morning screaming that Sven had eaten his nose. Don't tell Anna though, she was sleeping and I'll just get in trouble. God knows that girl could sleep through a tornado."

Jack wasn't sure he wanted to know who Sven was.

"I wasn't talking about that," he grinned, dropping down into a chair next to him, "but if the only thing interesting about your wedding night was Olaf running around-"

"Of _course_ it wasn't the only thing _interesting_. If you must know, Anna is really-"

"What are you two talking about?" said Anna excitedly as she sat down opposite her husband. Elsa looked at them curiously as she sat next to her sister. Jack was extremely amused to see that Kristoff's face had dramatically paled.

"We- uh- we were talking about-" he stammered pitifully, and Jack pitied him a little.

"-Olaf. About his capacity to have children," Kristoff said, and Jack had no choice but to look as if this was not news to him, while wanting to burst out laughing and ask Kristoff _since when was it a good idea_ to use Olaf's fertility as an excuse.

"You were talking about Olaf's capacity to have children," repeated Elsa slowly.

"Yes, we were," Jack intervened, making an enormous effort to keep his voice steady. "It's a good question, really. If you made a female snowman- a snowwoman, I guess- would they be able to have children?"

Elsa stared at him, completely speechless for a second.

"Olaf is a _kid_ ," she said in a horrified voice.

"Oh," Jack said. "Well, that changes things."

"Aren't you supposed to be the _guardian_ of children?"

"Hey, how could I have known Olaf was a _kid_?!"

"He asked what a sex life was!" she pointed out furiously.

"Right," he said sheepishly.

Before she could retort, however, Anna had the sense to stir the conversation away to a safer subject.

"Olaf's capability to have a kid? Seriously?" he muttered quietly towards Kristoff.

"I panicked," he murmured back.

Jack choked on the orange juice he'd been drinking.

Luckily, Elsa and Anna were too focused on their discussion to notice. Elsa was filling Anna in on what had happened the previous night with Eleanor and Gregory, Anna listening carefully.

"So, Prince whatshisname-"

"Gregory," said Elsa patiently.

"Prince Gregory is in love with Eleanor, who is married to his father."

"Yes, and we- Jack and I- think he could be a potential ally."

"Because he's in love with his _stepmother_ , you think that he'll be on our side," Anna said in a dubious tone.

"It's a little weird if you put it like that, but the truth is she looks at least thirty years younger than the King, if not forty," intervened Jack. "Now I know age is just a number and everything-"

"Um, Jack, you're _three hundred years old_ -" interrupted Elsa.

"You're what now?" questioned Kristoff.

"What she _means,_ " Jack said, laughing nervously, "is that I look more mature than my real age. It was a figure of speech."

Before Elsa could say that that was not the case (though she didn't look like she would have said anything more), Jack ploughed on.

"My guess is that they were involved before the King and Eleanor's wedding. Remember what the King said in Katie's memories? ' _I know, the situation is getting out of hand with the boy- I thought if I married Eleanor, he would come back to his senses_ '. That means-"

"How did you even _remember_ that?"

"I have a good memory. Anyway, that means that they were involved before the King married her, to stop their affair."

"But why would he want to stop their affair?" she asked, frowning, more to herself than him. "And that also means that the King knows about their affair since the very beginning, so what I did yesterday in the gardens-"

"What did you do in the gardens?" enquired Anna curiously.

"She covered for them," said Jack, "And what you did yesterday in the gardens was still life-saving. Maybe he knows about the affair, but I don't think he has any proof-"

"And if he had, he could sentence Eleanor to death," finished Elsa. She buried her face in her hands, rubbing her eyes tiredly with her fingers. "He sickens me."

"Really? Personally, I am _dying_ to be his friend. Seems like an interesting guy."

"Shut up, Jack," snapped Elsa, and he immediately did so, though Anna and Kristoff had both snorted in their drinks.

"Elsa, how come you didn't wear an ice dress today?" asked innocently Anna. Elsa rolled her eyes.

" _Anna_ , I told you I would only make them for formal occasions, they're really hard to make-"

"Woah, stop for a second- an _ice dress_?" asked Jack, bewildered.

"They're really complicated to make," explained Elsa, "They're made of ice fragments that have to be perfectly put together; it's lot of effort, I have to be perfectly precise and picture the whole thing in my head-"

"An actual ICE DRESS?" he laughed gleefully, "Geez, Snowflake, I would pay to see that!"

"She's really sexy in them too," said Anna, giggling, as Elsa shot her a look.

"You bet she is!" he cried out, and Elsa turned to him with her eyebrows raised. "I mean- uh- I'm sure she is seeing as she is sexy without an ice dress-"

"Because you've seen her _without_ a dress?!" squeaked Anna, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"What?! No that's not what I meant- well, I did but-"

"It was an _accident_!" Elsa said indignantly.

"Stop talking, you'll just make it worse for yourself," indicated Kristoff as Jack opened his mouth before closing it again. Elsa glared at him as an uneasy silence filled the room.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!" yelled someone, breaking the uncomfortable silence, and they all jumped as the doors banged open. They turned to see Olaf running inside, his twig arms outstretched, though still without a nose.

"Merry Christmas Olaf," said Anna, smiling down at the snowman. "What happened to your nose?"

"Sven ate my nose again," he said sadly, and Jack noticed that Anna threw a very dirty look towards Kristoff, who bristled.

"It's not _my_ fault, Anna-"

"Who _is_ Sven?" asked Jack.

"Kristoff's reindeer," explained Elsa, though Jack saw that her cheeks were still tinted by a violently pink colour.

"Who is supposed to have been trained to stop eating Olaf's nose," said Anna sternly.

"He is a _reindeer_ , I can't train him to stop eating carrots-" said Kristoff, with the exasperated tone of someone who'd been through the same argument many times before.

"You're the one who keeps telling me that Sven behaves like a normal human being! I don't know if someone told you, but human beings don't go around eating each other's noses-"

"I told you he acted in many ways like a human being, but if Olaf keeps coming right under his nose with his favorite aliment, _of course_ , he's going to act like a reindeer-"

"What do you suggest, Olaf parading around with a cucumber as a nose?!" Anna snapped.

"That would be interesting," said Elsa, quietly enough so that only Jack would hear. He snorted.

"First morning as a married couple," he muttered back, "This is going well." Elsa's lips twitched.

"Should we go?" she asked.

"I think that for the sake of our survival, we should."

And they left the dining room, unnoticed by Olaf, trying to heave himself onto a chair, and Anna and Kristoff still passionately arguing about wherever or not Sven would still eat Olaf's nose if it was a cucumber.

"For what it's worth," Jack muttered as they exited the room, "I'd love to see you in an ice dress."

He smiled as a blush coloured the Queen's cheeks.

…

"What do you want to do then?" Jack asked as Elsa strode into the courtyard. She'd doubled back to her rooms after breakfast, leaving a very confused Jack following in her wake. He'd waited outside, and she'd emerged from her room covered in a simple black dress with no ornaments, that reached her ankles. It was elegant, but unnoticeable and quite somber. She'd also traded her usual heels for black ballerinas, though you could only see the tip of them under her dress. Her recognizable blond hair was hidden under the hood of a brown cloak.

"And where are _you_ going?" he'd whistled. She'd kept her face down as she'd hurried along the corridors of the castle, finally emerging in the courtyard.

She still hadn't lowered her hood, glancing uneasily in different directions.

"Snowflake, seriously, where are we going?" he asked again, watching her as she passed the big chapel where Anna and Kristoff had been wed the previous day and turned another corner. Jack saw that there was another chapel, much smaller, behind the bigger one. She pushed open the doors of the building and walked inside.

The small body Jack recognized as Katie's lied on a kind of white slab. She was dressed in a white dress, blue flowers against her chest, where her hands were joined. Around her body were scattered more blue flowers, and around the slab, bent on their knees, were two girls, sobbing as they held each other.

They looked up as the doors slammed closed behind Elsa, and Jack saw the young queen tense, as she lowered her hood. There were no jewels on her, no tiara or crown, no distinctive sign of wealth on her, but the two girls recognized her instantly.

"Your Majesty," one of them gasped, as they both hurriedly rose from the floor, and bowed their heads in respect.

"No, please," Elsa said softly, walking towards them, her steps oddly silent compared to the usual sounds her heels made.

"Could I ask your names?" she asked tentatively. The two girls glanced at each other, surprise crossing their tear-streaked faces.

"Isabel and Mary, Queen Elsa," they said quietly.

"Just Elsa, please," she murmured as her eyes swiveled to Katie's form. "Were you friends of Katie's?"

"Yes, your- Elsa," said the one called Isabel. She had brown hair and chestnut eyes, and the one called Mary had raven hair and a slightly darker shade of eye-colour.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you," said Elsa. "I know you'd rather be alone, and rightly so-"

"Not at all, your Majesty- I mean, Elsa. It's just- well, we're surprised-"

"That I came?" said Elsa, smiling softly. "That I'd pay attention to when Katie's funeral was?"

The girls exchanged a look, as Jack sat on one of the benches, watching quietly. He'd had no idea that Elsa had still been involved in Katie's funeral, and he wanted to hit himself. Of course, he had noticed that she'd seemed to get over Katie's death, though she still stayed well away from the library…

But apparently, she was more invested in this than he'd thought- and he should have expected nothing less from her. This was exactly the sort of thing she'd do, and Jack couldn't help but feel his heart beat a little faster for her.

"Without meaning any disrespect, Elsa… what are you doing here?" asked quietly Mary, and Elsa's gaze switched back to the girls. Their eyes were still red, Jack noticed. The one named Isabel had her hand around Katie's limp one, holding it tightly in her own as she watched her queen.

"I wanted to pay my respects to Katie," said Elsa slowly. "And I wanted to talk to you," she added. The girls were looking more and more curious.

"As you know, Katie's death was not an accident," Elsa murmured, so quietly that the girls had to lean in to hear her. "She was murdered, and I know by who."

"She was murdered in your place, wasn't she?" said the one called Mary, the barest trace of reproach in her voice. If Elsa noticed it, she didn't show it.

"No, she wasn't." Elsa paused, then, "What am I about to tell you must remain a secret."

Jack looked uneasily around them, watching to see if anyone was listening in. Though the chapel looked empty, Jack couldn't rid himself of the feeling of being watched.

"Elsa," he said softly, lurching through the air and stopping behind her, muttering in her ear, "It's not safe to tell them here."

She nodded imperceptibly.

"I cannot tell you here what I know, it is not safe. Know that I want Katie to have justice, but I need your help. I have to be frank with you- this will be dangerous. And it must stay an _absolute_ secret."

"Of course, your Majesty," curtsied Isabel, whilst Mary was looking at Elsa warily.

"Do you know the pub near the harbor? Queens Arms?"

They both nodded.

"Meet me there tomorrow night," said Elsa. "I'll be waiting for you with my sister, her husband… and, hopefully, a few other people. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your Majesty," said Isabel. Elsa grasped both of their hands in each of her own.

"I am truly sorry for your loss," she said quietly.

"Katie was loyal to you, my Queen, and so are we," said Isabel, bowing her head, and throwing a sharp glance at Mary, who grudgingly did the same. Elsa squeezed their hands and pulled the hood back over her head. Without another word, she walked out of the chapel, leaving the two servants stunned in her wake.

…

Eleanor gasped as another slap stunned her. Her eyes watered as she lifted her hand to her cheek. She gulped, forcing the lump in her throat that threatened tears down. She looked up and met defiantly the furious gaze of her husband in her own.

"Tell me what you told Queen Elsa last night!" roared the King. "Tell me, and I'll stop hitting you!"

"Don't pretend you don't like it!" she snarled in his face. He seized her wrist and pushed her backward, slamming her back against a chest of drawers. She couldn't hold back the whimper of pain that escaped her lips, though she hated herself for it.

"Trust me, dearie," he snarled back, his wrinkled face inches from her own, "I do. But you're going to tell me exactly what you told your little queenie friend yesterday."

"I didn't tell her anything!"

"Don't take me for a fool. Queen Elsa hates all of us, and there you all were, a little too friendly."

"You're just a paranoid old man," she said, her tone simmering with hate. She cried out again as he twisted her wrist.

"Paranoid, am I? Tell me, girl, before I make you scream loud enough to make your lover come running."

"I- don't- know- what- you're- talking- about," she gasped, her teeth clenched.

"If my son came now, what would he do, do you think?" the King muttered in her ear, and she shivered. She clenched her mouth shut.

"He'd throw me off you, wouldn't he?" he laughed. "That is grounds for execution, my darling, did you know that?"

She struggled in his grasp, but his hold only tightened.

"What kind of treacherous son," the King was saying, "Fucks his father's wife, I ask you?"

She still didn't answer, averting her gaze from the King's, staring stubbornly at a spot on the wall.

"Do you know that I asked him to come today? To talk about our next move on Arendelle," said the King nastily, "He'll be here in ten minutes, and do you know what he'll find?"

She sensed what was coming, and started kicking and thrashing to get away from her husband. It was no use though, as the King just pressed her against the chest of drawers, and Eleanor felt his body pressed against her own through the silk of her dress.

"He'll find me buried inside you, darling, with you screaming and begging me for me to stop- and what do you think will happen then?" he paused dramatically, his eyes glinting evilly. Eleanor's throat had gone dry. "He'll try to kill me, darling, but he'll fail- and then, I will execute both."

There was another pause as the King let his words sink in.

Then… she spat in his face.

He roared in anger, and pushed her on the bed, his hands grasping at her corset and her dress, lifting her skirts as she screamed and kicked. He unbuttoned his trousers, pulling them down. She kicked again, and this time her feet hit his groin. He groaned in pain, and his grip on her slacked just a bit- but it was what she'd been waiting for. She kicked her knee into his stomach and pushed him off her. She ran out of the room, slamming the doors opened as she ran and ran, turning in the corridors completely at random. She could hear his shouts of rage, telling her to come back, but she didn't stop. She knew it was no use, that there was no escape, but she wasn't trying to leave; just to not let Gregory see her like this, her dress ripped and her hair tangled around her face, her bare arms revealing half a dozen enormous dark purple, green and nasty yellow bruises on her arms. Because this, she knew, would make him kill the King. And whether he succeeded or not wouldn't matter, as in both cases he'd be executed for treason.

And she'd rather be raped a million times more, suffer more badly than she'd already had than let that happen.

She slammed into someone, and for a terrorizing second, she thought that it was the King- but then she saw that she'd ran into a small young woman with red hair, blue-green eyes, and a freckled covered face.

"Princess Anna," she gasped, "I'm so sorry-"

The princess seemed to be recovering from the shock of having a half-naked girl slam into her. Distantly, they could hear the King's roars.

"FIND HER! I WANT HER FOUND!"

Anna looked down at her appearance, and Eleanor didn't dare imagine what she was thinking. Then, she seemed to make a decision as she grabbed her around the shoulders.

"Please- please don't bring me back-"

"I wasn't going to," Anna muttered. She ushered Eleanor in the opposite direction from where the screams were coming from, up a winding staircase, and pushed open a door that led, Eleanor assumed, to her bedroom.

Anna led her to an armchair that stood before a roaring fire and made her sit down, before going to fetch a warm blanket on her bed and wrapping it around Eleanor's shoulders.

"They won't come looking for you here," she said, throwing an uneasy look at the door. "You're safe."

"But-"

"I promise you, you have my sister's protection," Anna said, hurrying into a bathroom, and came rushing out again, though Eleanor heard the distant roar that water made when it was filling a bathtub.

"The Queen?"

"You're going to wash, take any trace of him off you," said Anna quickly, taking Eleanor's trembling hand in hers. "I'm going to lend you a dress."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly.

"I'm doing what every girl and woman in the world would do," she murmured. Eleanor snorted.

"You'd be surprised how many would turn a blind eye," she said.

"Yes, well, I'm not one of them. Go wash, while I lead them off."

…

Elsa entered the castle again, Jack walking- for once- beside her.

"What was that about?" he asked as she mounted the staircase.

"The Southern Isles don't know I suspect anything," she whispered quietly, looking around to see if anyone was around as she mounted briskly the grand staircase. "And I'm not just going to wait around for their army to get here."

"And how was befriending those two girls useful?"

"I need spies," she continued quickly. "Servants are invisible, that's their job. I need them."

"Fine, but if you plan on overthrowing the Southern Isles with two servants-"

"You'd be surprised," she interrupted. "But I know I need an army. My army is not loyal to me, but to Counsellor Archimedes."

"That's _perfect_ ," Jack said ironically, "Just what we need, a misogynistic, sadistic old man in our way."

"Even if I found a way around it, which I plan to do, we don't have enough men."

Though her words seemed depressed, something in Elsa's tone made Jack throw her a look.

"But you've got a plan, don't you Snowflake?"

She smiled.

"Of course I have a plan," she said, "I'm _Queen_."

"Well then, your _Majesty,_ would you mind explaining what that plan is?"

They turned into a corridor.

"I need to speak to my cousin," said Elsa, "And bring my sister with me."

"Your cousin?" he asked curiously.

"Princess Rapunzel of Corona," Elsa explained. "And I need to see her tonight. The only problem is, it's too risky to send a letter, and you can't fly Anna and me over there at the same time."

"Don't worry about that," grinned Jack, "I've got just the thing."

"I knew you would," she said, stopping in the corridor to smile at him. His heart skipped a beat. Before he could answer, however, shrieks echoed down the corridor.

"I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR _OTHER DUTIES!"_

The King barged in from the other end of the corridor, screaming at guards around them.

"I AM THE KING-"

"Not here, you're not," said Elsa calmly, and the King halted right in front of her as if he hadn't seen her before. His face was red and he was heaving. "I don't know who you think you are, screaming at my guards-"

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR FUSSING, WOMAN!" he bellowed, and Jack hissed furiously.

"Let me hit him, please," he begged, shaking with rage, but she threw him a look that he interpreted this to mean, _I can handle this myself._

"May I ask what's got you so angry-" she said, in a maddeningly calm tone that made Jack want to scream at her that this was really not the time to be diplomatic.

"MY WIFE IS MISSING!"

"She is, is she?" said Jack. "Wouldn't surprise me if she'd ran away you disgusting piece of scum-"

"Well there is no reason to be that angry, I'm sure we'll find her." interrupted Elsa. Though her tone did nothing to calm the King.

"I AM DONE BEING DIPLOMATIC WITH YOU, GIRL!" he roared. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"No," she said firmly, staring determinedly up at his face. Jack couldn't help but admire that she didn't as much as take a step away from him.

"I SAID- _MOVE_!"

Jack saw as if in slow-motion his hand raise, and knew what was coming- he was going to hit her, and with a blow with that much force Elsa would crumple to the ground-

But before he could as much as raise his staff, the King was thrown backwards against the wall, and spikes of ice erupted from the ground at his feet, imprisoning him and lifting him off the ground, pinning him to the wall; one of the spikes' tip stopped millimetres away from his throat. It had happened so quickly that everyone present, the guards and Jack, was stunned. Jack laughed in awe as Elsa walked towards him, her eyes flashing with anger underneath her guards' shocked and fearful gazes.

"And I said _no,_ " she said, her voice trembling with rage as she beheld him. "If you ever presume to hit me ever again, I will personally kill you without a second thought, your _Majesty_." she spat in a disgusted tone. "Now," she continued, regaining a semblance of composure, "I guess you'll have to stay pinned to the wall until the ice melts because I am _sure as hell_ not melting that ice, and forbid all my personnel to help you."

The guards bowed and left, each one with a smug expression on his face.

"Good day," she said as if she was merely ending a pleasant conversation, and walked away, ignoring the King's angry shouts behind her.

"That was amazing!" whooped Jack. "You are one badass queen."

"Thank you," she said gracefully, and Jack noticed that she had completely changed directions.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

" _I_ am going to find Eleanor. She's missing, but I have a pretty good idea to where she could be."

"And I am what? Going to play with Olaf?"

"No, actually. I was hoping you could go and find the thing that can bring Anna and I to Corona tonight."

"Fine," Jack grumbled. "I'll go."

"Thanks," she said, and Jack saw that they had reached Anna's door.

"You think Eleanor is in Anna's _room_?" he gaped.

"If I know my sister as well as I think I do, then yes, I think she's in Anna's room."

She looked pointedly at him.

"Right," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'm going, though I think it's very cruel of you to make me miss all the fun-"

She chuckled as Jack opened a window and looked back at her.

"See you tonight, Snowflake," he said.

"Hurry Jack," she answered. He winked and leaped out of the window.

…

Pitch appeared in Hans' room again, to find him staring out at the window.

"Thinking about your princess again?" he asked with a smirk, and the prince jumped around.

"Oh. It's you," he said. Pitch bristled at the tone, but didn't say anything. He would punish this little prince soon enough for his insolence.

For now, however, he needed him.

"Five children are in the courtyard," said Hans, "thinking that they're going to join my army."

"Good," said Pitch, "I'll take them later. I wanted to talk to you first."

"What is it?" Hans said sharply, turning back to the window.

"The time has come for your army to start their progress towards Arendelle."

Hans didn't reveal a sign of surprise or protest, just simple curiosity.

"Why now?" he asked.

"We must strike before the Ice Queen knows too much about what is going to happen."

"What makes you think that she knows anything about what's going on here?"

Pitch laughed.

"Trust me, she does."

Hans sighed, and turned to look at Pitch again.

"Fine. My army will set out in a week's time."

"Earlier," snapped Pitch. "Do you want your princess or not?"

Hans didn't answer, and Pitch turned, striding towards the door. Before pulling them open however, he turned back to the prince, who had gone back to gazing out the window.

"Do us all a favor and go out, Prince. You'll go mad, staying in the dark locked in your room all the time."

He left, the doors slamming behind him.

…

It was past noon when Jack finally entered North's fortress. He flew through the corridors until he erupted in the Globe Room. An enormous fire was burning in the fireplace as he landed on the red carpet. He looked for a minute at the illuminated Globe, and located the light that represented Jamie with a pang. He missed the little boy that had first believed in him terribly. Sometimes, he wanted to go to America just for the pleasure of seeing him again, but he'd had other duties after being made a Guardian, and of course, they weren't supposed to show themselves to children all the time. But he planned to give Jamie a visit soon, preferably before he stopped believing in Jack. He often wondered if Jamie would believe in him once he would be an adult.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" echoed North's voice across the room. He turned to see a tired-looking Santa, with deep purple rings under his eyes.

"Rough night?" he asked, walking towards him.

"Do you know how many gifts I give in one night?" North snapped.

"Well, you're going to have another rough night- we need your help."

"Is that so?" said North, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We need your sleigh, to go to a kingdom named Corona," said Jack.

"Jack," sighed North, "you know we don't involve ourselves in wars."

"This war is against Pitch, North," he said in a low voice, "And that _is_ our war."

"Can I speak frankly, Jack?" asked North, as he sank into one of the armchairs by the fire. Sure he wasn't going to like what was coming, he joined him by the fire.

"Don't let me stop you," he grumbled as he sank into an armchair opposite from North. He was staring into the flames, with the distant air of someone who was remembering something.

"I fell in love, once," he said after a pause, and Jack leaned in to listen. North never talked about his past- none of the Guardians truly did. This was their life now, no use of reminiscing about their past. "A long time ago. I'd been a Guardian for less than a century, and she was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, in my opinion. She could see me; I don't know how or why, maybe I was one of the legends that her people believed in."

"What was her name?" asked Jack.

"Anita." North was still staring into the flames, an odd gleam in his eyes. "I fell in love with her. She saved me. In every way a person can be saved."

"What happened?"

"The problem with love, Jack, is it can become a weapon, that people use against you," he said louder as if he was pulling himself away from a long-lost dream. "Pitch took her. I went to save her, without a thought for the other Guardians. He nearly killed us all. When we stopped him, he murdered Anita to get back at me."

"He _what_?!"

"The truth is, we are immortal. Love is irrelevant to people like us, a privilege that we do not share with the rest. Be careful of love, Jack. It only leads to more sorrow and scars."

"I am not going to war for Elsa," Jack said slowly. "I am going to war against Pitch."

North gazed at him, knowing very well Jack was trying to convince himself as much as him. He stood up, pressing his hands to his thighs.

"And for the record," Jack added quietly. "I think you're wrong about love."

"I thought so too," said North sadly. He then turned to the elves and ordered them to bring his cloak.

"Very well, Jack Frost," he boomed, turning back to the Spirit of Winter. "Tell me where you want to go."

…

Hours had passed since Elsa had entered Anna's room to find that Eleanor was indeed inside it. The sun had already begun to set, and Eleanor had spent the afternoon curled in an armchair, gazing at the dancing flames, seeming oblivious to Elsa's presence. Kristoff had joined them in the middle of the afternoon, and was now dozing in the second armchair; Anna and Elsa were lying on the bed, talking quietly about what they would say to Rapunzel when they saw her tonight.

"I honestly can't wait to see her," squealed Anna for what seemed like the hundredth time. Elsa smiled weakly. The truth was that though she needed Rapunzel's help, she couldn't wait to see her cousin either. Rapunzel and Elsa were exactly the same age, but they couldn't have been more different. Though they'd only met her for the first time three and a half years ago, they'd instantly bonded, and they all loved each other deeply, despite Rapunzel's disappearance for their whole childhood.

"Jack will be back soon," she muttered.

"How are we getting there?"

"I honestly don't know," Elsa remarked. She sat up, checking that Eleanor had still not moved.

"You should go and talk to her," Anna murmured. Elsa looked back at her, as if to say ' _I actually have no idea what to say,_ ' and Anna pushed her towards Eleanor. Elsa gazed at the queen, and carefully approached her. She showed no sign that she noticed Elsa. Elsa crouched in front of her, just as she'd done before Katie, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Eleanor?" she called tentatively. The Queen slowly turned her head to look in Elsa's eyes.

"Do you want me to go back?" she croaked.

"No," Elsa said reassuringly. "No, I don't want you to go back." The Queen breathed in relief, closing her eyes.

"Gregory must be so worried. Could you tell him I'm alright?"

"Of course. I'll tell him."

"Thank you," she said quietly, "For yesterday."

"Yes, well, I didn't have much of a choice," smiled Elsa.

"That's what your sister keeps saying. That helping me isn't a choice."

Elsa didn't know what to answer to that, so she only waited for Eleanor to continue.

"You do, though. In my country- nobody helped me. And they saw what the King was doing to me."

"If you want to seek diplomatic refuge, I'll grant it to you. You'll be protected in Arendelle, and your husband could do nothing to hurt you here."

Eleanor didn't answer, and Elsa saw that she'd gone back to staring at the flames. She was so pitiful, wrapped in her blanket, with an air of such anguish around her, that Elsa felt a spark of anger and protectiveness. She looked down at her arms, revealed by the short-sleeved nightgown she was wearing. This girl had endured hell, and though now she was so vulnerable it hurt to see her like this, Elsa thought she was probably the strongest person she'd ever met.

A tap on the window distracted her from the Queen. She stood up and walked to it, swinging it open.

Behind it was Jack, grinning.

"I bet you missed me so much you cried all afternoon," he said, and Elsa smiled back.

"I have to admit, it wasn't as fun as usual," she said, leaning forwards. "So, how are we going to get to Corona?"

"I've gone ahead to warn you. North's going to take us-"

"North?' asked Anna from behind Elsa.

"Santa Claus," explained Elsa.

"Santa Claus _exists_?!"

"Yes," said Jack. "Anyway, he's taking us on his sleigh-"

"Wait, what?" Elsa said, pushing herself up from the window. "You're kidding?"

"No, actually-"

"Are you telling me that we're going to cross the continent on a flying sleigh pulled by reindeers?"

" _Awesome_ ," said Anna, jumping up and down.

"There is no way," Elsa groaned. Jack was grinning more broadly than before.

"I knew you'd love the idea, Snowflake."

Just then, there was a swishing sound, and Elsa backed away hurriedly from the window. Anna, on the contrary, leaped in front of the window, struggling to see.

"Anna, get away from there!" she ordered, but her sister did no such thing.

"Elsa!" she squealed, "Elsa, you have to see this!"

Elsa edged carefully closer to the window, and her eyes widened as she beheld the sight. Parked, literally _parked_ in mid-air, was an enormous red, rickety sleigh. It was amazing; it had huge skis attached to it, where wheels usually would have been, and it had a few rows of wooden benches, that elevated as they went on. On each side of the sleigh was something that looked like wooden wings, and at the front of it was what looked like a miniature of the Globe Elsa had seen when she'd visited the Pole. Her breath was literally taken away. She gaped.

Anna had already jumped in Jack's arms, who had gently put her down on the sleigh.

"One ride, but that's it," she said, and Jack grinned again as he flew to her, picking her up and flying to the sleigh.

"Everyone loves the sleigh," laughed North, and Jack and him shared a chuckle.

"Buckle up!" boomed North, and Elsa looked around.

"Where are the seatbelts?" she shouted above the wind, honestly starting to panic now.

"Ha! That was just expression, your Majesty," rumbled North. "Are we ready?"

Jack soared in, sitting down next to Elsa. Before she could answer, North had whipped the reindeer's reins, and then they were off, gathering speed and going higher and higher, her hair now whipping around her face.

"Oh no," she muttered, "Oh please no no no no-"

"Hey, Snowflake!"

She dared open her eyes and turn around to see Jack suspending himself from the sleigh's back.

"Check out this view!"

Then, suddenly, the wind blew him off the sleigh's back and Elsa screamed.

"JACK!" she yelled, as, trembling, she looked over the side of the sleigh. The bastard was perched on one of the sleigh's rudders, smirking up at her, the wind ruffling his hair. He joined her again, next to her, and she slapped his chest, hard.

"Why the _hell_ did you do that to me, you bloody bastard!" she screamed over the wind, and Jack roared with laughter at her insults.

"Careful, some would think you'd lost your manners-"

At that precise moment, the sleigh gave a huge lurch and Elsa was thrown into Jack, who caught her. She twisted her face into his sweatshirt.

"I want to get off- I want it to stop-"

Then, suddenly, it did. They'd stopped in front of a window, and Elsa saw that she was directly in front of her cousin's bedroom. She could see Rapunzel's spiked, short brown hair. She was painting, as if that was a surprise.

Jack waved his staff, and the window sprang open. He took Elsa by the waist and deposited her in the room, and a second later Anna was at her side too.

Elsa coughed, and Rapunzel turned. She started in surprise.

"Elsa? Anna? What are you two doing here?"

"Hi, Punzel," said Elsa.


	14. A Shooting Star

_**Note:** Hey guys! Sorry about the time it took to post this chapter, but I haven't had a lot of time to write. For my defense though, it's really long (the longest one yet)! Thank you so much for all the reviews, it really means a lot to me to know what you think! I know that the description isn't great, but I'm really bad at those so I'll probably just make it worse by changing it... though if you have any suggestions, please tell me! Please review this chapter too, I really want to know what y'all think about it. Thanks so much for reading this far, and hope you like it!_

 **Chapter 14: A Shooting Star**

"EUGENE," Rapunzel called. "EUGENE COME IN HERE!"

Elsa looked around her. The room was warm and cosy, the walls completely covered in paint; a fire warmed her bones, a wide four poster bed taking up a great deal of space. A rug that looked like heaven for your feet covered the floor, and a huge white wardrobe sat next to the fireplace.

A door opened, and Eugene, who was wearing nothing more than a towel, emerged, a toothbrush in his hand and toothpaste filling his mouth.

"What is it, Blondie?"

His eyes fell on Elsa and Anna and instantly his hand went to his towel, ensuring that it wasn't about to fall off.

"Geez, Rapunzel, next time there's someone in our room when I'm in the bathroom, warn me," he said, taking in the appearance of his wife's cousins in his room.

"Hey Eugene," Anna smiled, "Sorry to barge in like this."

"I can't believe you're here!" squealed Rapunzel, sauntering to them and giving them both a hug. Elsa chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Rapunzel. Her hair had grown back a little, but it was still very short. Her huge green eyes hadn't changed though; still adorable. "How- did Father and Mother forget to tell me you were coming?"

"No. Actually-"

"How long are you staying?!" Rapunzel said excitedly.

"An hour actually," said Elsa, but Rapunzel wasn't listening.

"Do you want my room?! Eugene and I can go take the guest suite-"

"Wow," Elsa heard Jack say, "I can see how Anna and Rapunzel are related. How could you be so serious when you've grown up with these two?"

"I didn't actually grow up with them," Elsa muttered.

"Oh. Well, that explains it."

"Let me call a servant, we'll order tea-"

"RAPUNZEL," shouted Elsa. "We don't want tea."

"Oh. Hot chocolate then?"

"No thanks. We're not staying long, actually."

Rapunzel stopped talking. Eugene quietly entered the bathroom again and emerged fully dressed, before walking to Rapunzel's side and laying his hand on her lower back.

"What's going on?" asked Rapunzel, and for the first time there was worry in her voice. For a second, Elsa found herself at a loss of what to say. Then, she felt Jack's hand slide in her own. She turned, smiled at him, and squeezed back. Though there was no warmth emanating from his body, the pressure of his hand in hers reassured her.

"Rapunzel- so much has been going on, I don't know where to start," she said. "First, if you're going to understand any of this, I need you to…"

Elsa stopped talking. Rapunzel was watching her curiously, her green eyes reflecting the light. She loved Rapunzel, she truly did, but she wasn't Anna; would she believe her?

"What Elsa is trying to say," said Anna, "is that there's someone in the room with us."

Eugene looked uneasily around, tightening his grip on Rapunzel.

"He's next to Elsa, but you can't see him because you don't believe in him."

"Have you two gone mad?" asked Flynn, completely bewildered.

"I don't think so," laughed Anna, "but you won't be able to see him if you two don't believe, without the shadow of a doubt, that there is a boy standing next to Elsa."

Eugene continued to look half-confused, half-worried that the two sisters had completely lost their minds; Rapunzel, however, gasped.

"What the-"

"Hi," said Jack sheepishly.

"Uh- hi?" she squeaked, and Eugene turned to look at her.

"You can see this- this boy they're talking about?"

"He's _right there_ ," breathed Rapunzel, her head turning back and forth from Elsa and Jack- who had let go of her hand- and her husband. Eugene looked confused for a second more, his eyes going from searching Rapunzel's face to Elsa's side, but then stumbled back, his eyes wide.

" _WOAH_ ," he shouted. "How do you do _that_?"

"Long story," Jack chuckled. Eugene's eyes bulged.

" _Long-_ "

"Don't freak out, Eugene," Rapunzel said in a teasing voice. "I'm sorry. He freaked out even worse than this when I told him about my magic hair," she laughed.

"I didn't _freak out_ , Blondie," Eugene said, and Elsa was glad to see that a little color was returning to his cheeks, though he still looked shaken.

"Yeah, you did."

"Your _magic hair_?" asked Jack, now sounding completely perplexed. Rapunzel turned her gaze to him.

"Long story," she replied, and Elsa laughed at the look on his face.

 _Let the joke be on him, for a change._

"So, tell me everything," Rapunzel said, taking Anna and Elsa by the hand and pulling them towards the unmade bed. They sat down, and Jack walked- Elsa was very thankful that he walked, because if he'd flown, Eugene would have certainly passed out- and leaned against the bed post so he was near her.

Eugene pushed the two armchairs so that they were opposite them and they both sat down in one. Rapunzel crossed her legs and laid her head onto her knuckles, the way she always did when someone was about to tell her a story.

Elsa started talking. She told them everything from the day the guests from the Southern Isles had arrived, Jack and Anna filling the blanks whenever she forgot something. When she finally stopped talking, more than a half-hour later, her throat was so dry she could have begged for a glass of water.

Suddenly, she felt something cold in her mouth that instantly melted, leaving a sweet sensation behind. She looked up at Jack, and he winked.

 _Thanks_ , she mouthed. Finally, she turned back to Rapunzel and Eugene. Eugene was still gaping at Jack, but there was a frown on his face; Rapunzel held a hand over her heart as she looked at both her cousins.

"And you've come here to ask for help?" Rapunzel probed slowly. "To help you defeat Prince Hans and his family, who wants your kingdom, and this Pitch Black?"

"Pitch Black is a wicked, evil man, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants," explained Jack. "And in this case, he wants Elsa. She is in very true, and very real danger."

"Why does he want you?" asked Rapunzel.

"Well-" Elsa looked uncertainly at Jack, wondering if she could tell them, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Jack thinks- we think- that Pitch wants me to help him defeat Jack."

"Defeat- I'm getting a little confused," said Rapunzel, frowning at the both of them.

"Jack is the Spirit of Winter," explained Elsa, "he has powers pretty much like mine. He's more powerful than me, though," she smiled.

"I think we're more than equally matched," chuckled Jack, giving her a not-so-subtle wink.

"How do you know if you're equally powerful or not?" asked Anna curiously, and Elsa blushed furiously.

"Did you two get into a _snow fight_ or something?" she gasped, and before Elsa could answer, Rapunzel and Anna had squealed at the same time.

"That is so _romantic_ ," sighed Anna with a pitiful imitation of a swoon.

"Not the point," Elsa seethed as Jack roared with laughter, "Could we get back to asking Rapunzel's help, please?"

"What do you want? Men? Supplies?"

"Men would be a good place to start," said Elsa.

"I'll talk to my parents tomorrow," announced Rapunzel, "How can I tell you if they've agreed or not?"

"It's too dangerous to put this information in a letter," said Elsa, "I was wondering if you could come tomorrow night to Arendelle, there's a pub on the harbour near the castle called the 'Queens Arms'."

"How can we come in less than a day?" asked Eugene, talking for the first time since Elsa had begun talking.

"The same way we came today," answered Anna, "Father Christmas can come and get you and take you with his magic sleigh."

"This is too- _freaking-_ much," Eugene wheezed as Jack burst out laughing again.

"We have to get back," said Elsa. "Santa Claus exists, and he'll come get you tomorrow."

"Right," exhaled Eugene.

"I'M NOT A CAB DRIVER, YOU KNOW!" yelled North from behind the still-open window. Elsa grinned, as Rapunzel gaped and rushed to the window.

"What in the sun's name-"

She pushed herself up from the bed and went to Rapunzel, taking both her hands and kissing her cheek.

"Thank you, Punzie," she said, and Rapunzel, though still astonished at the view of North's sleigh, squeezed back.

"Think nothing of it, El'. You're family, and if a guy wants to kidnap you, I'll beat him up with my frying pan."

"Sounds like a _great_ plan," chuckled Jack as he passed them, Anna in his arms. Elsa saw him set her down on the sleigh, and come back for her. She let him lift her up, blowing a last kiss in Rapunzel's direction and waving at Eugene, who seemed to have given up on asking questions and resigned himself to see the Spirit of Winter flying around. She hesitated for a second, looking down at the sleigh.

"Would you like it better if I flew you back?" asked Jack quietly, so that none of the others could hear him.

Elsa knew that though the sleigh wasn't her favorite way of transportation, that wasn't the only reason why she nodded.

"It will take longer, you know," he grinned, and she smiled back.

"North, I want to show Elsa something," he called, and North turned to look at them. He nodded, but shot a look full of a meaning Elsa couldn't pick up on.

"Remember what I told you, Jack," he called back, and Elsa felt the Spirit of Winter shrug.

The next second, Jack had leapt upwards so suddenly that though Elsa had been expecting it, she squealed all the same, her hands knotting behind his neck. She felt the rumble of his laugh more than she heard it, the wind too strong to hear much. Then, they were above clouds, the air thin and nothing above them but millions of stars.

…

Jack looked down at Elsa's awed face. He smiled to himself. She was still wearing that black dress she'd worn to Katie's funeral, the colour enhancing the pale shade of her hair, her blue eyes searching the heavens.

He thought back to his conversation with North. He hadn't made it apparent, but the conversation had affected him; if the Guardian of Wonder himself didn't believe that love was possible, for any of them, then how could he hope that he was special? That somehow, he could fall in love with Elsa and her with him without any consequences? The more he thought about it, the more he could see that there was no possible solution, so simple way-out… except keep his distances-

"Was that a shooting star?" laughed Elsa, and Jack bent his head to look at her. Her mouth was still open, and she was gazing at the night sky as he was flying her back to her kingdom going a little slower than he could have.

Keeping his distances wasn't an option.

"You should make a wish," he murmured, "isn't that what people do?"

" _What people do_? Have you never wished on a shooting star?"

"I don't see the point on wishing on a great ball of fire that could destroy the world."

"You are such a killjoy," she grumbled and he chuckled. At the sound of his laugh, she'd shifted a little in his arms, so that her head was now inclined against his chest. They were silent for a while, Jack telling himself that he was enjoying the feeling of her body against his a little too much for it to be honourable.

"Sandy told us that his home, the Sand Island, was created by a shooting star falling into the sea, and all the wishes that had been made upon it had erupted into dreams, that wandered around the island," Jack said softly, breaking the silence. Elsa shifted again, lifting her head so that she could see him.

"That's a nice story," she whispered. He looked down and met her huge blue eyes, and his stomach back-flipped.

He couldn't have kept his distance if he tried.

"They're your family, aren't they?"

It took Jack a second to understand that she was talking about the Guardians.

"Yes," he said, "they are."

He thought about Tooth, Bunny, North, and Sandy. He truly loved them, in the way you can only love a family you've chosen for yourself.

"I hope they liked me," Elsa muttered, and Jack looked at her, startled for a second.

"If they _liked_ you?" he sputtered, bewildered.

"Well, yes," she said, shifting back to laying on his chest, and Jack looked back up, careful of where he was going. "I want them to like me. If they're so important to you." He didn't need to see her to know she was blushing.

"Snowflake, I'm sure they completely adored you," he said, chuckling. He felt her shrug.

"Seems like North didn't grow on me, though," she said in a would-be casually voice, but Jack detected a hint of a question.

"Is that what you're afraid of? Not getting an approval from my family?"

She didn't answer, and Jack sighed in exasperation.

"They loved you. Even Bunny, and the blizzards know that he's a tough guy to crack. North is just… he's worried about me."

"Worried about you?" she asked, confused. "Does he think- does he think I'm dangerous to be around?"

"What?! No, of course not," he protested.

"Oh," she said, and Jack could feel the relief in her voice. His heart broke a little- after nearly a month, during which he had spent nearly every waking moment with her, working extremely hard to gain her trust, she still thought that he might run away from her.

"You're not dangerous to be around," he said, "Or I would be too. You're not some kind of wild beast."

The necklace he'd given her glinted in the moonlight as she seized it, fiddling with it.

"North is scared that I'm getting- um- attached," he continued, mumbling the last word.

"Attached?"

"Yep."

"Oh," she said again, though this time it was comprehension in her voice. Jack could feel his frozen heart beat faster. "And are you?"

Jack hesitated.

"Yes," he said, quietly enough that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have been able to hear him. But she did, and she turned her face upwards again. He didn't dare meet her gaze, but he felt her arm move, and felt the contact of her hand against his jawline, and he looked down.

 _She's not going to feel the same, how could she?_

"Why would he be scared of you getting attached to me?" she asked softly.

"That's- um- a good question," he said, laughing nervously. "You know it's kind of complicated for Guardians to have- uh- girlfriends?" he said, choking the last word out. He was relieved to see that she was smiling up at him, and he found himself, somehow, softening, his nerves gone.

"Girlfriends, huh?" she said, lifting an eyebrow. "Is that what you want me to be?"

He knew that if they'd been on the ground, Elsa would never have let herself go like this. Maybe it was the fact that they were completely alone, or the stars shining on them from above…

"I wouldn't mind," he grinned. She laughed, her head lolling back against him. She yawned.

"For what it's worth," she said sleepily, "I wouldn't mind either."

Jack was pretty sure that at that precise moment, he could have burst from happiness.

…

Elsa was asleep when Jack finally saw the castle emerge out of the gloom. He navigated to her window, sent the wind to push it open without a single thought, and had set her down on the bed. He'd been on the point to fly back to the window to close it and then go to rest on the armchair he used as a bed, when Elsa squirmed in her sleep.

"Please don't," he heard her mumble.

The beautiful queen, still in her mourning gown, was having another nightmare. He couldn't imagine what her nightmares were like to make her scream and plead in her sleep; when she usually slept quietly, barely moving.

No, he hadn't watched her sleep.

"Elsa," he said softly, but the words didn't appease her; on the contrary, she twisted in her sheets violently, her hands reaching and pulling her hair. He shook her, seeing no other way to pull her out of her torturous sleep. She woke up gasping, tears not-yet spilled shining in her eyes. She was shaking, he realized, completely terrorized.

"Elsa? Are you okay?"

She looked up at him for a second more, and then burst into tears.

"Shh, Elsa, it's okay look you're in your room, nothing's going to happen to you, you're with me-"

"I'm so sorry," she gasped in between sobs.

"What are you apologizing for?" he exclaimed, setting his staff on the ground and sitting on the bed.

"Making a spectacle of myself-"

"You're not making a spectacle of yourself!" he blurted, nearly laughing, "You had a bad dream!"

She didn't answer, but covered her face with her hands, trying her best to stop the flow of tears. She wasn't even making crying sounds- no, she was crying silently, as if (and the thought made him shiver) she'd trained herself to not make a sound when she cried. Not knowing what to say, he offered the only comfort he could, the same he'd offered her all those nights ago. He shifted closer to her, swinging his legs on the bed, and pulled her to him, her face on his torso and her hand wrapping itself around his body as she heaved with sobs.

It was another ten minutes before she stopped crying, Jack gently caressing her back with the tip of his fingers. When she'd gone silent again, he found his voice.

"What did you dream about?" he asked. He felt her hesitation, felt her walls return, but before they could-

"Did you dream about that room you told me about?" he said, and he felt her stiffen against him. "Talk to me, Snowflake."

"Yes," she whispered. "I dream about it less these days, but it comes back from time to time."

He waited for more, not daring to say something that would make her stop talking, stop relieving herself.

"I just- I see him, pushing me into this room and I'm trapped, I can't breathe, but I have to stop my powers, which is near impossible, when I'm severely under-stress, by the way- and I can't lean back, I can't sit down, I just feel like the walls are getting closer to me-"

She stopped, breathing with difficultly.

"You're not in that room anymore," he murmured, loud enough that she could hear him. She didn't answer, but her arm tightened around him as he stroked her hair. "Go to sleep, Snowflake. I'm here."

…

The sun crept in through the window, its light illuminating her bedroom. Through her closed eyelids, she could see the orange of its light. She shifted restlessly, and opened her eyes.

Elsa found that she was on her side, Jack's arm wrapped around her middle. She felt his body against her back, his breath tingling against her navel. After that first moment of panic, she relaxed, listening to the pattern of his breathing.

She laid like this for a while, before she heard Jack say sleepily:

"Are you awake?"

She turned in his arms, so that they were now face to face and smiled at him. He had this air of laziness around him, his hair messy and his eyes still closed.

"Hi," she said, touching his nose with a finger. He groaned, his arms tightening around her as he buried his face in her shoulder.

"Ten more minutes," he mumbled, "I'm way too comfortable here."

She blushed, but didn't try to pull away, enjoying the feeling of safety, as if she was wrapped in a cocoon.

"Come on, sleepyhead," she said, "We should probably get going."

He shifted again and opened his eyes. They were so close that their breaths mingled.

At the thought, Elsa wrenched herself from his arms.

"What is it?" he said, startled.

"I have morning breath!" she choked. To her surprise, Jack roared with laughter.

"Is that it?" he said breathlessly as she watched him with disapproval. "You just ran away from me like I'd transformed into Pitch, and you're saying it's because you have _morning breath_?"

"Just turn around," she grumbled as she pulled out a dress from her closet. He sighed and turned to his other side, still laying on the bed. She quickly pulled off the dress she'd been wearing since yesterday with relief, and pulled on a simple silk one, that was a turquoise blue. It was very simple; it needed no corset, and the skirt didn't expand as many of her other dresses did. It had no sleeves, only straps on her shoulders. She told Jack that he could turn around as she braided her hair in the mirror.

"You look good," said Jack appreciatively. She laughed, shaking her head. Before she could answer, a knock sounded on the door.

"Your Majesty?" called a voice from behind the door. "The Council is requesting your presence."

"I'm coming," she called back. She threw another glance in the mirror and slipped her feet into white high heels. The necklace Jack had given her glinted as it caught the morning light, and Elsa marvelled again at the sheer beauty of it.

"What do they want to talk to you for?" asked Jack, and Elsa thought he detected a hint of anxiety.

"They're probably going to tell me when I have to announce my engagement to one of the Southern Princes," she answered, walking towards the door. Jack followed suit, getting off the bed and picking up his staff, kicking it onto his shoulder.

"This is going to be fun," he said, rolling his eyes, and Elsa grinned as she opened the door. She was not looking forward to being in the same room as the counsellors, even less if Counsellor Archimedes was there, but she noticed that the feeling of fore-boding that she'd had every time she'd walked in the direction of the council room was gone.

And something told her that this had everything to do with the Spirit of Winter walking by her side. She thought back to that conversation last night, when they'd as good as confessed their attraction to each other. She didn't know what had taken over her; especially since her instinct cried out that this was very far from being wise; as if the Queen of Arendelle could have the freedom of just _dating,_ to be someone's _girlfriend_.

But his words yesterday had made her heart beat fast and her breathing had become rapid. She'd known, of course, that there was something between them. It had been like that since that snowball fight and that moment above the clouds; since the dinner, when he'd been outraged for her… even North had noticed, and he had seen the both of them together only once.

It had been in every word he'd said to her, every time he'd been careful about her well-being; he thought she hadn't noticed how he'd done everything to gain her trust, but she had.

 _When I kiss you, you'll be ready._

 _I'd like to see you in an ice dress._

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed that they had arrived in front of the double doors of the council room. She pushed them open, and strode in.

The seven counsellors at once stopped talking, turning their heads. They bowed their heads, and she sat down at the head of the long table.

"Gentlemen," she said, inclining her head slightly.

"Your Majesty," greeted Counsellor Archimedes. Jack didn't utter a single word, and Elsa had just realized that maybe Jack, though he knew who her jailer had been, had maybe no idea what he looked like.

Which would explain why the guy wasn't under a pile of snow already.

"I think you know why you're here?" asked the counsellor.

"To talk about the engagement?"

"Actually," said Archimedes, "Not exactly."

"Oh," she said, her tone coated with feigned confidence. "Well, what is it then? Don't tell me this is about matters of state because we all know that you have kept me from them for a while now."

"This is about the fact that we found the King of the Southern Isles pinned to a wall by icy spikes yesterday evening. He says that you are responsible. Is that true?"

"Yes," said Elsa, without a trace of hesitation. So, she was here so that they could scold her like a child that had misbehaved.

They were wasting their time, then, because there was not a chance in hell that she would apologize.

The counsellors all looked quite taken aback by her frank honesty, and she lifted her chin a little higher.

"Well," coughed Archimedes, "of course there was no doubt that you had, because who else could have frozen the King to the wall?"

He laughed, but his laugh was unnaturally high-pitched and fake; none of the other counsellors followed suit. The sound of his laugh soon died out.

"I think you impressed them, Snowflake," Jack muttered, and she felt his breath against her ear. She looked around at the other counsellors. A few of them seemed to have indeed something like respect- or at least consideration- glinting in their eyes.

"Queen Elsa, the council hereby thinks that you should apologize." said counsellor Archimedes, and she turned her attention back to him.

"You do, do you?" she asked, and there was a snarl in her voice. Archimedes looked taken aback at the bite.

"I have myself taught you to never use your powers, yet you do," he said, trying to regain his composure, "and this just shows how you are not fit to be queen!"

 _Not fit to be queen._

The words sounded in her head, and a dull roar of rage was filling her ears. There was a pause, and then, suddenly, she lurched from her chair and slammed her fist on the table. Ice sprung from her closed hand and covered the table; the counsellors sprang back from the table, counsellor Archimedes the first one to scurry away as fast as he could.

Then, suddenly, she realized something, that was the answer to the question she'd been asking herself for years.

Why had he treated her like this, containing her powers in that way, making her suffer like he knew she had?

 _He's scared of me._

But for once, the knowledge that someone was afraid of her didn't feel her with sadness and a sense of hate for herself.

No.

This time, she smiled.

"I _am_ fit to be queen," she said, in a voice that she didn't recognize. It was full of authority, it was made of sheer command; the voice of a ruler, the voice of a queen. "I have been fit to be queen for a while. But you, gentlemen, have been blinded by your thirst for power, and the fact that you refuse to let me be a ruler. The truth is, you're scared of me. You're scared of what I could do, because you know that I would do whatever it takes for this country's future, and you know that you are not part of it."

"Your-" tried to intervene Archimedes.

"I am not done talking," she snapped. "I am done asking for your permission, I am done waiting for you to let me be what I was born to be. I am done. I am your Queen, and I expect respect from all of you, or you _will_ get out of this room. You are no longer regents, Counsellors. I am not a child that you can scold, but a queen in her own right, that defended herself when the Southern King tried to strike me. And I will defend myself against you if you stand in my way."

She was thankful that Jack stayed silent during all of this, because hearing his voice would have more than certainly made her soften, extinguishing the flame of rage that burned in her stomach. She glared at the counsellors, and saw that all, except counsellor Archimedes, were looking at her with respect, bearing expressions of deep admiration.

"I don't know why I haven't fired the whole lot of you after what you've made me go through, but you're still here now. If you want to stay here, to assist me as I become the Queen I am supposed to be, then swear allegiance to me. Not Counsellor Archimedes, not your petty opinions that whisper in your ear that as a woman, I can't possibly be fit to be a ruler, not alliances you have made with the Southern isles. Swear allegiance to me, and see that I will rule with the same integrity and honour that my father had before me."

The Counsellors looked at each other, and the room was silent for a moment. Then, the youngest counsellor, Counsellor Terence, shrugged at his peers. He came forward, and bent down on one knee before Elsa. He bent his head.

"Queen Elsa. I pledge my allegiance to you. I shall assist you in the dark years and the light years, obey you as I obeyed my father as a child. I shall always protect you, or die doing so. I shall never betray or lay a hand on you, my sovereign. That is my sacred vow to you, forever and always."

Jack whistled.

"Quite a vow," he breathed.

"I thank you, counsellor Terence. I promise that you will forever be protected in my kingdom."

One by one, the counsellors stepped forward and pledged their alliance to her, saying the words of the old, binding vow. It was the vow that they had made to her father, a vow she knew they wouldn't break, for it was sacred. At last, only counsellor Archimedes was left. If looks could kill, Elsa and all the counsellors that had pledged their alliance to her would have been dead within the minute.

"I will not," he spat finally. Elsa felt Jack stiffen.

"You will not?" she asked coolly, lifting her eyebrows.

"Women are not fit to rule," he spat at her, "Especially you. You are not a queen. You are a filthy, unholy _witch_."

Several things happened at once. Some of the counsellors stepped forward menacingly, but held back as Elsa lifted her hand, signalling them to stop. Another counsellor gasped, 'How _dare you_?!' and Jack leapt forward, and spat at Archimedes' feet.

Suddenly, Archimedes reached inside the inside pocket of his coat. He pulled out a silver dagger, with an intricate, white handle.

"ELSA!" shouted Jack as he saw the dagger. "ELSA, GET BACK!"

A few of the counsellors had thrown themselves in front of her, protecting her. Elsa felt a new kind of hatred simmering in her veins as she watched Archimedes advance. He was a skilled sword-fighter, and she knew, as she looked in his gaze, filled with hatred, that he wouldn't hesitate to bring down a few of the men that had just sworn allegiance to her if it meant that he had a shot at murdering her.

"Get out of my way," she snapped, and the two counsellors- counsellor Terence and Nicodeme- threw her a confused look.

"Your Majesty-"

"Get out of my way," she said again, and they did. Jack landed next to her.

"What are you doing?" he muttered urgently, grabbing her arm as she began to walk forward. She didn't answer him, wrenching her arm from his grasp.

"You have mistreated me for as long as I can remember," she said to counsellor Archimedes, "You have grappled for power. You have been insolent and disloyal, as you have tried and failed to keep me from being Queen. You have damaged and hurt me in a way that I will never recover from, you refuse to swear your allegiance to me, and now you _dare_ threaten my life."

Archimedes' face was contorted with fury, and he advanced towards her, menacing.

"Oh no you don't," she heard Jack snarl, and a violent wind picked up the counsellor and threw him across the room, slamming him against the wall.

"You are banished from this kingdom," said Elsa, "And be glad that I leave you your life."

She turned from the still confused looking Archimedes.

"Terence, Nicodeme, assure yourself that this man be locked in a cell until preparations can be made for his departure from my life."

She strode to the doors, pulling them open. Before she could exit the room, however, she turned back to look one, last time, at the man that had destroyed her childhood, who still haunted her dreams at night.

"If you ever come back here," she said, her voice echoing, "I will personally put an end to your miserable life."

…

Jack had followed Elsa as she'd stormed back to her room. Once she'd closed the door, he'd approached her.

"Elsa- Elsa you're shaking," he breathed. And indeed she was.

He hadn't realized until the last moment that the man who was doing everything in his power to stop Elsa from having any authority in her own kingdom was the one that still gave her nightmares, the one who had given her memories she was still terrorized of. He hadn't realized, or the man would have been dead in the second.

And that's what he'd wanted to do. He'd wanted to end his life like he'd made Elsa want to end hers, because she'd thought that she was a worthless monster.

But he hadn't. He hadn't because Elsa was becoming the Queen she really was, and the counsellors had seen that. They'd seen that she was every bit a ruler as her father had been. She'd impressed them.

They'd realized that she wasn't a little girl playing at being queen. They'd realized what Jack had realized the moment he'd laid eyes on her, all those weeks ago.

She was an amazing girl- woman- that would go to any lengths to do what she thought was right.

And he couldn't even imagine the bravery it had taken to confront the man that had done these unspeakable things to her. The bravery she'd needed to break free.

But now, the toll of it was showing. Elsa was leaning against the door of her room, breathing fast, trembling.

"You did it Snowflake!" he laughed, and a feeling of intense pride rushed through him. "You're Queen!"

She smiled a little, and she lifted her hand to cover her mouth, as if she couldn't process what had happened.

"You showed them!" he said again, and he walked to her, grabbing her hands in his, their fingers twisting together. She opened her eyes. The adrenaline hadn't quite disappeared. Her gaze was filled with exhilaration-

She giggled.

Then, she burst into hysteric fits of laughter, and Jack watched, astonished. She gasped and when she seemed to regain control, she just burst into laughter again.

She was so beautiful. So incredible. Did he even deserve to touch her?

"Elsa," he whispered, and she stopped laughing, staring up at him. "Oh, Elsa," he said again, and before he realized what he was doing, Jack had let go of her hands, putting his on her waist, and pulled her to him. She giggled as she was pulled close to him, and she looked up at him, still laughing a little.

He brought his mouth to hers as if he could consume the sound. He kissed her like he'd never kissed anyone before, with a passion that he didn't know he even had in him.

…

Elsa hadn't been expecting it, and for a second she stiffened in his arms. Then, she relaxed, and opened herself to the kiss. Jack kissed her slowly, then broke away. She looked up at him, scared that he'd changed his mind, that after all he didn't want her, didn't want this damaged shell she was-

"Are you sure?" he murmured, and she could have laughed in relief. She nodded, her hands twisting in his white hair, pulling his face to hers.

"Yes," she breathed, and their mouths met again, the kiss slow at first, but intensifying. Suddenly, he lifted her off the ground, so that she was nearly his size, and carried her away from the door. Still kissing her, he lowered her onto the bed. He broke away again, and she squirmed in protest.

"Tell me when you want me to stop," he whispered, and she nodded again. He lowered his mouth to hers again, and Elsa's fist twisted into Jack's sweatshirt, pulling him closer. He kissed her once, twice, small kisses, touches on the lips, and she groaned, pulling him against her again. He laughed.

"Greedy, aren't you?" he chuckled, but she ignored him, lifting her head a little. He kissed her, slowly, then intensified the kiss as she opened herself to the embrace. She felt like her body was awakening from a deep sleep, like every one of her members was trembling. She couldn't get enough of his touch, convincing her that he wanted her. She yearned for more, more, more…

A knock sounded at the door.

"No," Jack muttered. "Go away."

"Elsa?" called Anna from behind the door, "Are you in here?"

"Don't answer," said Jack, his mouth forming the words against hers.

"I have to. It might be important," she said, trying to get up, but Jack crushed her with his body. She laughed.

"Come on Jack," she said. "Invasion? Pitch? Remember?"

"I don't care," he said in a thick voice. "You're going to get up and you'll regret what happened."

Anna knocked again, a little more insistent.

"No, I'm not," she said softly, and kissed him. He groaned, giving in, rolling off her. She got up, and opened the door.

"What is it Anna?" she said, annoyed. She saw her sister take in her appearance; a strap of her dress had fallen from her shoulder, and she knew that her hair must be messy. Anna glanced behind her and saw Jack, laying on the bed, his knees bent, his hands covering his face. She opened her mouth to say something, but Elsa shot her a warning look.

"What is it Anna?" she repeated.

"Um- I- Gregory would like to see you-"

"Prince Gregory?" she asked sharply. "Have you been talking to him?"

"Well, he's been talking to me. Worried sick about Eleanor. She's been telling us to tell him that she was okay, but I didn't know if that was wise, so-"

"Where is he now?" she interrupted.

"Probably moping around in the library, that's where he's been since Eleanor has gone missing."

"Fine, I'm coming," she said, and turned to look at Jack, who was looking at her with an accusatory glare. She shrugged.

"Business calls," she said, "Are you coming or not?"

"Oh fine," he snapped and got up from the bed. He grabbed his staff and flew out into the hallway. She followed suit, closing the door of her bedroom behind her, and made her way to the library. Anna called to her that she was returning to her room, but was wise enough not to shout down a palace castle that it was to take care of Eleanor.

Elsa followed Jack, not daring to think too hard about what had happened between them. She was afraid of losing her nerve. They had been flirting for weeks, but this had been so sudden, so nerve-racking. Her body tingled at the memory of his lips on hers, and she traced them with her fingers.

Jack landed suddenly next to her, and she gasped, startled.

"Are you regretting what happened?" he asked, and Elsa detected a hint of fear in his voice.

"No," she whispered truthfully, in case someone else was in the corridor. "You just took me by surprise, that's all."

"You know how I feel," he muttered, and she turned to look at him.

"I'm not regretting anything, Jack," she whispered, and her heart fluttered at his answering grin.

They had arrived at the library, the doors closed in front of her, and Elsa pushed them open.

Then stopped in the doorway.

She hadn't paused to think that seeing the place where Katie was murdered would trigger something inside her. Her breathing became more rapid, her eyelids fluttered, and she started to tremble a little, though her shaking had nothing in common with the way Jack had made her tremble. She'd avoided the library as much as she could since Katie's death, though it had been her place of refuge for so many years, and now that she was in-

She wanted to get out. Now. Any second now, Katie would turn the corner of a bookshelf and her throat would be pierced by an arrow all over again-

"Snowflake," she heard Jack's quiet voice, and she held on to it, holding on to reality. "Hey, Elsa, you're fine. Look."

She slowly opened her eyes, and looked into his eyes, so close to hers. For the first time, she noticed that though his eyes were blue, there was something like patterns of snowflakes in them. She focused on these as his voice washed over her.

"See? I'm with you. There's nothing in here," he continued, and she found her heart slowly returning to a normal pace as she focused on the feeling of his two hands against both of her cheeks.

"Queen Elsa?" said a voice from behind Jack. "Are you alright?"

She inhaled a shuddering breath, and passed Jack to look at Gregory. She seized Jack's hand as she passed him, holding it tightly, keeping the panic at bay.

"Yes, I'm just feeling a little dizzy," she said. "You've been requesting me?"

"Can I be frank?" Prince Gregory asked.

"Of course you can," she said, eyeing him warily as she walked to an armchair, still holding Jack's hand. She sat down, and Prince Gregory sat opposite from her.

"I think you knew exactly what you were doing when you saved Eleanor and I from being caught in the 'act' by the King. Am I right?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," she said slowly.

"I think you knew that by doing so, you would be ensuring that Eleanor would trust you. Maybe you thought she'd make a good spy-"

"I understand your protectiveness," interrupted Elsa, trying to sound both kind and firm, "but I assure you that I do not wish any harm to come to her."

"In any case, if I learn that you have anything to do with her disappearance-"

"Why would I kidnap her?" she asked, confused.

"To hold her for ransom, in exchange for the freedom to refuse this marital alliance."

"You honestly think I would do that?" she said, staring at the Prince.

"I have no idea what you would or wouldn't do."

There was a pause. Elsa didn't know if she should tell him that Eleanor was still in between these very walls.

"How do you know she didn't escape?" she said finally.

"Because I know she wouldn't leave me behind," answered the Prince.

"Are you loyal to your country, Prince Gregory?"

"What do you mean, am I loyal to my country?"

"I mean are you one of those men that would do anything for your country?"

"Yes," he said, without an ounce of hesitation. "The Southern Isles are in my blood; my allegiance will always be to my country."

Elsa sighed, and stood up from her armchair.

"I'm afraid that I can't help you then," she said, and she walked towards the door, still holding Jack's hand.

"Snowflake, maybe you should insist-"

"So you do know where she is!" shouted the prince, and Elsa turned back.

"Yes I do, but I assure you that she is not my prisoner. She fled from the King and ran into my sister, we've hidden her somewhere safe."

"You- you did that for her?" he said, looking taken-aback. Elsa nodded. The prince seemed to hesitate for a second.

"My allegiance is to my country," he said slowly, "but my country has become something that I can't swear my allegiance to. It has allied itself with demonic forces, using the madness of my brother and my father's thirst for power to its advantage. I love Eleanor more than any land, and I will do anything to keep her safe. I love my country nonetheless, and I plan to fight to restore it to goodness."

Elsa looked at Gregory's pleading eyes and wondered if she could believe him, if she could trust him.

"I think he's telling the truth," whispered Jack. Well, if that was good enough for him, then it would be good enough for her.

"There is a pub called the Queens Arms hidden in an alleyway next to the harbour. Meet me there at sundown. I promise that you will see Eleanor again."

And with that, she left the room.

…

Barely an hour was left until sunset. After her discussion with Gregory, Elsa had hurried, nearly running, to Anna's room and told her the same thing she'd told Katie's friends, Rapunzel and Flynn, Gregory; _Meet me at sundown, at the Queens Arms._

Now she was in her room. Jack had his back turned to her while she was sliding on a very simple, very modest, very unnoticeable brown dress. She grabbed a dark cloak and clasped it over her collarbone, and pulled the hood over her head.

"Coming, Jack?" she murmured, and they both exited her room and walked towards the castle's entrance, trying hard not to bump in anyone; when they did cross someone, Elsa kept her head down careful of keeping her face out of sight.

Soon, they were out of the castle and walking briskly down to the harbour. Elsa turned into an alleyway that was only apparent to people who knew it was there, otherwise it was completely hidden. She walked quickly past a dingy shop that sold what looked vaguely like hats, but their mannequins were all half destroyed. Finally, they arrived in front of the pub.

It was in a greyish building, and a simple black door opened to the inside. If you didn't know it was a pub, you would have probably thought that it was someone's house, however grimy and dingy it looked from the outside.

Anna and Kristoff were already waiting for them, with a carefully hidden Eleanor, dressed in a dark cloak that completely covered her fiery hair.

"Get inside, and find us a table, preferably far from the door," muttered Elsa, and Kristoff entered the place followed quickly by Anna and Eleanor.

"What are we waiting for?" Jack asked, as Elsa lifted her gaze to the sky, though she could only see little of it in between the top of the buildings.

"Rapunzel and Flynn," she said simply, and Jack looked up also.

Barely ten minutes later, North's sleigh slammed into the pavement, a very pale and shaky Rapunzel sliding off gratefully. Flynn leapt from it, grinning.

"That was the strangest thing I've _ever_ done!" he said gleefully, and Rapunzel looked at him as if she was going to puke on him.

"Hi Elsa, Jack," said Flynn conversationally, as if he hadn't been about to faint the last time he's seen the Spirit of Winter. He passed them, and pushed open the door, taking Rapunzel's hand as he pulled her in behind him.

"This is better than the Snuggly Duckling!" he exclaimed, and Elsa heard snippets of laughter and music coming out from the door. She turned to find Jack and North talking, but they stopped when they saw she was watching.

"Should we go in?" she said, lifting her eyebrows at them. Jack immediately did so, opening the door and holding it open for her. She was about to follow him, when North called her back.

"Your Majesty? May I have a word?"

She looked back at him, and though Jack had stiffened, she stepped away from the door.

"I'll join you in a minute," she said distractedly, and moved towards him.

"Elsa-" tried Jack, but she was already walking away from him.

"I'll join you inside," she promised again. She felt Jack's stare on her for a second more, but then heard the door close behind him.

She looked at North, his beard whiter than ever, and he looked down at her every bit as impressive as the last time she'd seen him.

"I wanted to ask you- about your feelings for Jack Frost," he said, sitting down heavily on one of his sleigh's benches.

"My feelings for- I don't think they're any of your business," she said, bewildered.

"Forgive me, your Majesty-"

"Elsa."

"Elsa. You see, Jack is a Guardian. He is immortal. You however, though you are a beautiful queen, are a human being. Mortal. Your body will change with time, whilst Jack's will remain forever more, in the form of a young man."

Elsa didn't answer.

"Jack has known loss like most people can only dream of knowing. He has lost his family, has been invisible to the world for a very long time… I don't think that he could suffer through another loss of a being he might love. You being together… it would, in the long-run, devastate him, hurt him more deeply than anything he has lived through before."

Elsa still didn't answer. She felt like her breath had been robbed from her lungs, like she couldn't even answer North. Though she wanted to argue with him, to prove him wrong…

She knew he was right. She knew that she wouldn't- couldn't- be responsible for Jack's sorrow- she cared about him too much.

"I beg you, Elsa, save him. Save him from the desolation that I myself have felt. Put some distance between you and him, before he falls for you. He has already started: I can see him falling hard, and I beg you to not make him endure another loss. Because he won't get back up."

Elsa realized that she hadn't breathed in a breath for a while, and she inhaled sharply. She knew that she was falling for him too, knew that North was right…

She didn't answer North. She didn't so much as nod.

She turned her back to him, and walked into the Queens Arms.

…

Jack watched the door anxiously. He didn't know what North was going to tell her, but knew that if he succeeded in making her regret, like he was so afraid she would, what had happened between them-

Soft music wafted from a piano in the corner, played by a rather mean-looking bloke; the room was illuminated by the light of candles, illuminating the room. The only people a part from them were a group of five men, and a couple nearby. Otherwise, the pub was empty except for the bartender.

When they'd entered, they'd seen that Isabel and Mary were already here; they'd sat down, and the servants had looked quite impressed at their number. Surely, they'd been thinking that they would only meet with Queen Elsa.

Gregory was not yet here.

The door finally swung open, and Elsa walked in, still hiding her face beneath the hood of her cloak. She walked to them, and sat down between Anna and Rapunzel. The conversations immediately stopped, as Elsa lowered her hood, revealing her platinum blond hair. Jack tried to catch her gaze, but she averted hers.

"You are all probably wondering why I asked you to come here," she said, still determinedly not looking at Jack. "The answer is simple."

She paused, probably for the dramatic effect, Jack thought as he smiled to himself.

"War is coming. And we're here to ready ourselves for when it does."


	15. Mad Tales and Obsessions

_**Note:** I know it must feel like I'm repeating myself, but thank you so much for all the reviews! They're what's keeping me writing this story! So thank you so much, and sorry for the delay in writing this chapter, though I promise that the next one will be coming really soon, as I'm done traveling and am settling down for a few days. That's it, really hope you like it and please review the chapter, it would mean more than you know!_

 **Chapter 15: Mad Tales and Obsessions**

"War is coming. And we're here to ready ourselves for when it does."

Elsa's words seemed to echo slightly, as they all sat a little straighter around the table. A waitress came, putting down pints of ale for all of them, and went away again. It wasn't before the waitress was well out of ear-shot that Elsa dared speak again.

"I'm sure you have all noticed by now that the supposed alliance the Southern Isles want to forge with Arendelle is nothing more than a scam, designed to distract us from the fact that they are raising armies, that plan on marching on this kingdom."

Jack noticed that Eleanor's bright green eyes flickered to her clasped palms on her knees for a second. He wasn't the only one who noticed.

"But I'm sure you already know all about that, Eleanor," Elsa said, not unkindly. Rapunzel and Eugene exchanged a confused look.

"Eleanor is the Southern Isles' King's wife, the Queen of the Southern Isles," Elsa explained. "Her loyalty is not with her husband, however, and I dare hope that maybe it could be with us."

Eleanor's gaze lifted suddenly from her clasped hands to stare into Elsa's eyes. She didn't answer, but Jack would have been a fool to think that it was from weakness or fear that her mouth stayed shut. Her eyes sparkled with hidden intelligence, and something in the way she held herself informed everyone that this was a strong woman, who had lived through the toughest hardships of life and survived… someone that only a fool would underestimate.

Elsa knew that as much as he did.

At that precise moment, the door of the pub opened again, and this time it was a wind-blown red-head that entered the small room. Eleanor's attention, who had been entirely focused on Elsa, was broken; her eyes swivelled to prince Gregory, who seemed to be searching the room with his eyes. She raised her hands to her hood, and lowered it, revealing her curled red-hair, that drew attention like a wasp is drawn to light.

Jack watched as Gregory's eyes snapped to Eleanor, and he half-stumbled, half-ran to her, his arms outstretched. She stood up as well, and he reached her, not seeming to care that everyone was watching them, ignoring Elsa's pleas to be discreet; he reached for her and pulled her to him, his arms surrounding her lower-back, and Eleanor seized him around the neck as she buried her face in his neck, her feet lifting an inch from the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked, putting her down after what seemed like at least a few minutes, but he didn't let go of her as if he was afraid that she would vanish again.

"I'm fine," she smiled up at him, "I'm perfect, now that you're here."

Gregory's shoulders seemed to slump a little as he beheld her, and he beamed at her; the grin lit up his face, and he somehow turned more handsome than he already was. He swept Eleanor up in his arms, and kissed her.

Jack, Elsa, and all the others looked away. He rather felt- and he was sure the others were too- as if they were intruding on a sacred moment that nobody was supposed to witness.

"And _that_ ," said Elsa quietly, "is Prince Gregory. He's in love with Eleanor."

"We'd noticed," laughed quietly Eugene, his arm around Rapunzel. Jack chuckled, and tried to catch Elsa's eye again, but to no success. He couldn't ignore the twinge of frustration as she was still determinedly avoiding looking at him.

He thought he knew what was behind this sudden change, and he planned to give North a piece of his mind.

Gregory and Eleanor broke apart, and after Gregory whispered something to Eleanor that sounded suspiciously like an ' _I love you'_ , they sat down between Eugene and Jack, Gregory still firmly holding Eleanor.

"Hello," said Elsa in a would-be casual voice, though Jack knew that she was studying Gregory's reaction to all of them. Gregory turned his marron eyes to Elsa's blue ones, and was about to say something, when Eleanor interrupted him.

"Don't be angry, Captain. Your father was planning to- to make you watch him rape me," she said quickly, as if she was scared of changing her mind about saying this in front of everyone, "So I ran, and I bumped into Princess Anna, who helped me run from them. They've been hiding me."

Gregory looked down at Eleanor's pleading face, and seemed to decide that maybe Anna and Elsa deserved that he, at least, hear them out.

"Thank you, Queen Elsa," he said.

"Elsa, please," she smiled, and he tentatively smiled back.

"Why do you call him ' _Captain_ '?" asked Anna curiously.

" _Anna_!" gasped Elsa, "That is none of your business!"

"Sorry," she mumbled, as Kristoff, Jack, Rapunzel, and Eugene burst out laughing. Eleanor smiled, her eyes kind as they took in Anna. She reached across the table and grabbed Anna's hand.

"Thank you, for what you did," she said, and Jack saw Anna squeeze her hand. Eleanor withdrew, and watched Elsa expectantly.

"I believe some introductions are needed."

"Right," said Elsa, as if Eleanor and Gregory's reunion had temporarily wiped her mind clean of any thought of war, "This is my cousin, Princess Rapunzel of Corona, and her husband, Prince Eugene. Everyone already knows Anna and Kristoff, and these two are friends of someone very important to all of this."

Isabel and Mary, who had been so silent that they'd become invisible, seemed surprised as Elsa referred to Katie in such a praiseworthy way. Jack ignored the sting he'd felt when she hadn't introduced him, but he remembered that the ones who could see him already knew him, and maybe Elsa didn't think that Gregory, Eleanor and the two servants would believe them or trust them if they started telling wild tales about a certain Spirit of Winter drinking ale with them.

"This is Isabel," continued Elsa, "And this is Mary."

Isabel smiled timidly at all of them, looking a little impressed; not that Jack could blame her. She was surrounded by royals that she'd only seen from afar, and was quite suddenly sitting around a table, drinking ales with them, as their equal. Mary, on the contrary, looked quite mean as she gave no sign of what she was feeling.

"I asked you to come here tonight," said Elsa, addressing them directly, "to tell you what really happened to Katie. You have been led to believe that she died in my place, as someone who was trying to murder me killed her instead."

Mary bristled at her words, but Isabel leaned forwards, listening intently to her queen.

"That is not the case. Katie was murdered because she heard a conversation between the King of the Southern Isles and one of his sons. She didn't have time to tell me about what that conversation was, before someone who didn't want her to talk shot an arrow through her throat."

At those words, Isabel reached for Mary's hand and grasped it tightly in her own.

"I have managed to discover what Katie tried to tell me," said Elsa, lowering her voice so that they all had to come closer together. "But before I tell you, I have to be sure that every single person around this table can be trusted to conceal this secret, for it might be the end to us all."

She looked at Gregory and Eleanor, and they both nodded.

"If you promise to help us make our country good again, then we will stand by you," said Gregory, and Elsa nodded respectfully.

"We will help you no matter what, El'," said Rapunzel, smiling at her cousin as Eugene nodded.

"You know you can trust me, Snowflake. Anyway, the King can't even see me, so even if I wanted to betray you, I couldn't," Jack said, and finally she looked at him. His heart fluttered as she smiled at him before she could catch herself, as though by instinct. But she quickly looked away from him again, and though he was disappointed a spark of hope flared in him. North hadn't destroyed everything, and he wouldn't, if Jack didn't let him.

Elsa turned her gaze to Anna.

"Oh right, because I would absolutely _adore_ going to the Southern Isles and tell them how to destroy my country," she said, and Elsa chuckled.

"Just checking," she smiled, before turning to the two servants. Mary looked stonily ahead, not meeting any of their gazes. Isabel, though, nodded at Elsa.

"Of course. For Katie," she simply said, and nudged Mary in the ribs, who mumbled something that kind of sounded like 'Fine.'

Elsa studied Mary, but seemed to decide that that would do. Jack, though, continued to look at the girl. He could feel waves of anger rolling off her body… anger directed at all the royals present.

"As I said, Katie overheard a conversation between the King and one of his sons. This conversation, alongside other information I have received has led me to believe that the marital alliance that the Southern Isles have pursued with Arendelle is a distraction from the armies they are raising in their own country, and that they plan on marching here. They have allied themselves with a man called Pitch Black, and I was hoping that you, Gregory, could tell me more about what your country has done to prepare itself for war. First, though, I want to warn you; Katie also overheard that the King knows of your affair. He has known for a while, and married Eleanor to stop it. But know he plans to kill you both."

Gregory looked taken-aback at this revelation. Certainly he'd thought that they'd been discreet, thought Jack to himself, but anyone in a room with both of them together could see what was between them.

"Everyone knew I was courting her before my father took Eleanor for his bride, we weren't very discreet," Gregory said, as Eleanor smiled softly, surely remembering happier times, "but I didn't know he knew it had escalated into an affair after he took her to be his queen."

"Well, he did," said Elsa.

"But why didn't you tell me so before? Don't you think that I would have rallied to your side faster if I'd known about a plot to kill me, organized by my own father?"

"I would have told you anyway," declared Elsa, "but I wanted you to join me without thinking that you didn't have a choice."

Gregory stared at her, then nodded respectfully. Jack could see that he was beginning to realize what Elsa's counsellors had taken so long to understand; before him was a wise, rightful queen, and that only a fool would think that she would lead a country to its ruin.

"My brother, Prince Hans," started Gregory, and the response was immediate. Anna stiffened, her gaze hardening; Kristoff tightened his arm around her; Elsa sat up straighter. "When he returned from Arendelle… well, at first everyone thought he'd lost his mind. The news of Queen Elsa's powers had not yet reached our ears, you see, and there he was, spinning mad tales about a Queen who had powers of ice and snow, capable of covering the ground with ice and building ice palaces more impressive than any castle made by men."

He paused, and Jack turned his gaze to Elsa. Her attention was fixed on Gregory, but he thought he detected a flicker of pride in her eyes, and he smiled to himself. If she felt like she could be proud of her powers, and not frightened of them, then that meant she was healing from all those years she'd passed, isolated in darkness.

"We soon discovered that what he was saying wasn't a mad tale after all. After that, my father gathered his council, and managed to convince himself that somehow, though you hadn't so much as made a threat, you were a danger to us all. He gathered his armies, egged on by my brother, who since he'd returned had become obsessed with only one thing; Princess Anna."

"Me?!" gasped Anna. "What do you mean?"

"He's not in love with you- I think he's become too senseless to be capable of love. But he wants you for himself, and- pardon me for the expression, but I'm using his exact words- in his sheets, warming his bed."

"He said _what_?!" asked Elsa in a furious voice, as Kristoff's eyes flashed with anger.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm taken," Anna snapped, and Kristoff grinned down at her. "And if I ever see Hans again, I can give him another taste of my fist; it seems like the first punch didn't do the trick."

Gregory grinned sheepishly at them, as though apologizing for his brother.

"My father seemed to realize that an army with an Ice Queen at its head would probably mean that you would defeat him, so he began searching for allies. Pitch Black sought us out, and told us that if we followed his instructions, victory would be a certainty. He demonstrated his power to convince my father, and succeeded. Soon, we had all departed for Arendelle to distract you from any rumours that could reveal what we were preparing; leaving my brother behind to organize our armies, and plan our invasion with Pitch. In exchange for his help, Pitch demanded only one thing: that though we take Arendelle for our own, we only fake Queen Elsa's death; we could kill your sister and her husband, and any other living relative you had, but that we should spare you, so that he could take you, though I don't know for what reason."

"You planned to take part in this?" asked Eugene, outraged. Gregory shrugged.

"You have to understand. I didn't care about any Ice Queens, or claiming any countries. I only cared about being close to Eleanor, and I planned on fleeing with her before the fighting would start."

"You did?" asked Eleanor, turning to face him. He smiled at her.

"Of course I did, love. I wanted you to be away from the fighting, and use all the confusion to our advantage; run somewhere my father and my brothers could never find us, and spend the rest of my days with you."

Eleanor leaned in and kissed him, and Gregory lifted both his hands to either side of her face as he kissed her back. Elsa coughed impatiently.

"Guys? We haven't got much time left," she said.

"Leave them be!" protested Anna, "They're adorable!"

Eleanor broke away from Gregory, turning back to them. She mumbled an apology as she blushed. Jack, highly entertained, shared an amused look with Kristoff and Eugene.

He became serious again. Though having Gregory as an ally was more than helpful, he hadn't told them anything they didn't know; though he'd confirmed their fear.

Pitch was after Elsa.

Elsa was thinking the same, as she looked at him for the second time since she'd entered the pub. He gave her a small smile, that she interpreted correctly as a ' _Don't worry, Snowflake_ '.

 _Why, because you'll protect me?_ she mouthed teasingly, her eyebrows raised and he grinned. But then she frowned, as if she was reminding herself of something, and turned away from him again. He cursed under his breath.

"Thank you, Gregory," said Elsa. He simply waved a hand in her direction as if it was nothing, too busy looking at Eleanor. Elsa smiled, and turned to Rapunzel. Before she could say anything, however, Rapunzel had started talking.

"My parents can send a few companies of men over, but not much. Corona doesn't have many men, barely enough to maintain order inside our borders."

Jack was maybe the only one that noticed how Elsa concealed her disappointment by smiling a little, and shrugging as if it was no big deal.

But… it was. Elsa had been more than clear that Arendelle's army was not big enough for war.

 _We'll find a way,_ he thought to himself.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, your Majesty," said Isabel, "but I don't see what you want Mary and me to do for you."

Elsa turned back to the pretty servant, smiling kindly.

"I need you to be on the look-out for anything suspicious. If you hear any conversations, about armies marching on Arendelle or anything to do with the Southern Isles attacking us; so that we have a decent shot at preparing ourselves if they do come. I expect an attack any time, now; they won't wait forever."

"Of course. Anything," said Isabelle, though Mary still didn't look at Elsa. Jack saw that Elsa looked uncertainly at the raven-haired servant.

"You are at liberty to refuse, Mary," she said quietly, but Mary still didn't deign to look at her. Jack was disliking the girl more and more.

"No, your Majesty, Mary will help me. Don't worry about it," said Isabel apologetically, and Elsa's gaze lingered on Mary a second more, before turning to Gregory and Eleanor. She seemed to hesitate, as if she was going to ask something of them that she didn't want to ask, but before she could do so much as open her mouth, Eleanor nodded.

"I will return to the King's side," she said quietly. "Try to learn as much as I can about the enemy."

Jack noticed that she'd called them the ' _enemy_ ' as if proving once and for all that there was no doubt in her mind that she would help Elsa until the end.

"Eleanor-" started Gregory, and Eleanor turned back to him.

"I have to. Don't you see? I'm invisible. He doesn't care which conversations I witness, as I am as insignificant to his eyes as an animal."

"He'll hurt you," insisted Gregory, "punish you for running away-"

"So be it. If that is the price I have to pay for our freedom, then I will gladly pay it."

"I won't," said Gregory, shaking his head. "I won't allow it."

"Too bad I'm not asking for your permission, Captain," she said, and though her words were sharp, she was smiling, as if long ago she'd said those same words to him. He looked at her, still looking defensive and angry, though her words had brought a flickering smile.

"Is there anything I can say to stop you?" he asked quietly.

"I'm afraid not," she said, smiling tenderly. Jack couldn't help but admire her bravery, returning to those who had made her suffer most.

"Thank you, Eleanor," said Elsa quietly, as if she wanted nothing more than to tell Eleanor not to do it. Her eyes were filled with unspoken guilt, as if she couldn't bear to be the reason Eleanor had to return to her husband. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"No," said Eleanor, "I don't know how I can ever repay _you_."

The two queens looked at each other, and Jack saw the unmistakeable beginning of a friendship, the kind that was unbreakable.

"Eugene and I are staying in Arendelle," said Rapunzel, and Elsa tore her gaze away from Eleanor's. "We told North to leave without us. I'm sorry we can't help you more, but I plan on staying with you through this."

Elsa softened.

"It's okay about the men, Punzie. Are you sure you want to stay here? It will become dangerous," Elsa warned, and Rapunzel shrugged.

"We survived Gothel, I think we can survive this," she said.

"Well I didn't _exactly_ survive Gothel-" muttered Eugene.

"Figure of speech," said Rapunzel, batting her hand. Elsa snorted. Jack wondered what the story was between Eugene and Rapunzel. Seemed like an interesting one, and he promised himself to ask Elsa about it later.

If she would talk to him.

"We should go," said Elsa, standing up, "go back to the castle, all of us, separately."

"Kristoff and I will pretend we went to pick up Rapunzel and Eugene at the harbor, as a surprise for Elsa," said Anna, "we'll enter the castle by the front gate. Isabel and Mary can smuggle in Gregory and Eleanor from the servants' passages. Jack will fly Elsa back to her room, and no one need ever know that she wasn't in the castle tonight."

"Who's Jack?" asked curiously Eleanor, and Anna muttered something that sounded like 'Never mind'. Maybe she too thought that the revelation of his existence would make all the progress they'd made tonight crumble, if the others didn't believe them.

He understood the logic; still, he couldn't pretend that he wasn't a little hurt by this.

Everyone nodded at Anna except Elsa, who was very careful not to meet Jack's gaze. They stood up as one, leaving their empty pints of ale behind them as they exited the Queens Arms. Jack was glad to leave the stifling inn, and relieved as the night winter wind caressed his face. Without another word, they split into three groups; Rapunzel, Eugene, Anna and Kristoff going one way, whilst Gregory, Eleanor, Isabel and Mary went the other. Pretty soon, Jack was alone with Elsa, who seemed to be keeping a safe distance from him.

"What did he tell you?" he asked suddenly, abandoning all pretense of not knowing what had caused this sudden change in her attitude.

"Who?" she said, though there was no curiosity in her tone; she knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Don't be like this, Elsa," he murmured, daring to step closer to her. She didn't move away, so he kept walking slowly closer to her. "North is wrong. You know he is. So what if we don't know what the future brings? I still want to try… I want to try being with you."

He was so close to her now that he simply had to move his hand slightly to touch hers. Elsa was looking determinedly at her feet, avoiding his gaze.

"Look at me," he requested, but when she still didn't, he lifted a finger to her chin, and raised it so that her face lifted, her icy blue gaze finally meeting his. A thousand emotions seemed to reflect in them; the anguish he found there broke his heart.

"I know you think you're protecting me," he said, his breath caressing her face, "but you're not. It's too late for that."

He gently lowered his mouth to hers, and stopped, his mouth not an inch from hers, to see if she would back away. She didn't. He encircled her face with his palms, and kissed her gently. A moment passed, and then she opened herself to the kiss, her arms knotted together behind his back, so that his chest pressed against hers. For a moment, a glorious, victorious moment, he thought he'd done it; he'd convinced her, they would be fine…

But then she broke away. She took a step back, as if she needed room to think, as if she couldn't think properly when he was that close to her.

"But he is right, isn't he?" she said in a strangled voice, and Jack realized with a start that she was doing everything in her power not to let a single tear drop. His heart broke; she was struggling to be strong for the both of them, as if she had to put a stop to what had just begun to bloom between them-

"Snowflake-" he said hoarsely.

"Bring me home," she said sharply, and the words he'd wanted to tell her died on his tongue. She had gone back to a cold, indifferent attitude, not bringing her gaze to his. He was at a loss of what to say, and he doubted that he could find the right words anyway. He walked to her again, though this time he didn't try to do anything else than take her, with heart-breaking gentleness, by the waist. He jumped in the air, still holding her tight, and he brought her home, the two not exchanging another word.

…

Gregory was pulling her up the corridor by his hand, and they were hurrying along the dark passage-ways. He made a turn left, and another turn right, and she followed him, trying to keep as quiet as she possibly could. They'd left Isabel and Mary- Eleanor had felt quite uncomfortable in their presence, for though Isabel had been very kind, she'd felt that Mary loathed them, though she had no idea of why- as they'd entered the kitchens.

Finally, Eleanor recognized where they were. She felt like Arendelle's castle was huge, though Gregory had assured her that it was a little smaller than the Summer Palace where they'd first met. Another turn would bring her to the corridor she'd fled from only- was it yesterday? She tightened her hold on Gregory's hand as if she could somehow postpone the moment when she'd have to let go of him again by gripping him tighter. He came to a stop just before swerving into the corridor that would lead her back to her husband's room.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, and she nodded. She wished that he would stop asking her; she feared that if he did so one more time, her courage would fail her, and she would change her mind.

"I love you," she said, looking up to meet his gaze. He stared at her for a moment, as if two emotions were battling inside him: his desire to protect her, no matter what, that pushed him to carry her away from this place, not caring if she be consenting or not, and his love for her, that forced him to recognize that that wasn't an option, as he must respect her wishes.

He kissed her fiercely, as if he could stop time by just touching her, kissing her- and she kissed him back, right there in the middle of that dark corridor, not caring, nor even remembering that she was a few feet away from her husband.

Finally, she broke away, though it was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I have to go," she said, lacing her fingers with his.

"Take this," he whispered, and pushed something into her hand. She looked down and saw an intricate, beautiful silver dagger, with a gorgeous hilt decorated by a red dragon. She looked up at Gregory again, speechless.

"I thought it suited you," he whispered. "You're as wild, as brave and as untameable as that dragon. Always keep it with you. For safety."

He kissed her on the cheek. Having temporarily lost the ability to speak, she squeezed his hand, and let it go. She walked away from him without another word, and opened the door to the room she shared with the King. She entered, closing the door behind her with a sound that had an odd finality to it, leaving Gregory looking at that shut door.

…

Pitch looked down at the child in front of him. They were surrounded by darkness, _his_ darkness, the darkness emanating from his soul. The child- ten years old at most- screamed in terror as the obscurity weighed down on them, and Pitch flashed him an evil grin.

"That's right," he laughed evilly, "don't fight the fear little one!"

"Please," the child whispered, "Please, I want my mommy, sir, please bring me back to my mommy-"

"Tell me what you see," ordered Pitch, ignoring the child's pleas as he let the darkness wash over him in great waves, concealing him. He reappeared on the child's left side, and the child screamed in terror and scrambled to get away from him.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE," he roared, and the child dissolved into tears, hiccoughing.

He looked at him, disgusted. Children were pathetic.

But then, the child stopped crying suddenly, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Mommy?" he said, whispering. Pitch looked down at his hands, and saw that they'd become the slender hands of a woman. He raised his hands to his scalp, and found that his fingers twisted into dark, voluminous hair. He laughed in triumph.

He'd done it. He'd mastered the ability to rule the darkness so completely that he could manipulate it to change his own appearance, and become his victim's greatest love, or greatest fear.

He looked down at the child, as he willed himself to return to his normal, terrifying appearance. He smiled down at the child.

Then he waved his hand, willing the air to vanish from the child's lungs, and watched- still smiling- as the child suffocated.

When the small one was dead, he turned and walked away, going deeper into the cave. He passed his nightmare, a huge, monstrous horse with golden eyes that glinted evilly as they awaited orders.

"Dispose of the body," he said, and smiled to himself as he strode deeper into complete darkness.

Victory was already his.

…

Elsa woke and stretched, opening her eyes slowly. She expected to find Jack lying next to her, or at the very least curled on the couch; but her room was empty. It took another moment for her to remember what had happened yesterday; she groaned, slumping back on the cushions as the souvenir of what North had told her flooded back.

Yesterday, when she'd told Jack so coldly to bring her home… it had nearly been like physical pain. She'd wanted to kiss him as he had kissed her, she'd wanted to just be close to him, the Winter Spirit that had just made her start to believe that maybe, just maybe, she was worth loving after all. As he'd flown her back in stony silence, she'd wanted to scream.

Scream at North for putting this on her shoulders, scream at Jack for making all of this so hard, scream at the world for the injustice of it all.

It was so unfair. For the first time in her life, she felt accepted- completely accepted- by someone who wasn't her sister; she'd felt like she belonged in something, something wonderful and magical, a kind of secret that only she and Jack shared.

And then, just as quickly as she'd let herself believe that happiness was possible, even for her, someone had reminded her of what she was.

Someone that only had the power to cause pain.

She'd been a fool to think that she could be happy with Jack; she would have made him unhappy, and if they'd fallen in love before he'd realized exactly what kind of… of monster he was getting involved in, she would have been the cause of a pain so intense, she didn't dare to even think about it.

She wouldn't be the cause of Jack's demise. She refused to be.

But she knew that if she didn't say something to make him think that the distance she was putting between them had nothing to do with what North had told her, he would keep coming at her, like he'd had yesterday evening. And she knew that if that happened, she would give up on pulling away from him. She'd gladly curl herself up in his arms and stay there for the rest of her days.

But she couldn't do that.

She would never be able to do that.

She stood from her bed, and the minute her feet sank into the fluffy carpet, the window behind her burst open, a freezing wind making her white nightgown flap around her ankles. She turned, and saw Jack drop into the room. A mixture of relief and fear swept through her. Jack was watching her reaction to him, scrutinizing her.

"Hi," he said hesitantly. She felt a powerful urge to go to him, to say that she was sorry for how she had behaved, tell him to continue what they'd started yesterday-

 _I can't_ , she thought.

So, she didn't answer, instead sitting in front of her mirror, and started braiding her hair.

"Elsa," he tried again, and Elsa thought she detected a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Elsa, stop trying to make the decision for the both of us."

Still, she didn't answer him, trying to block out his words, fearing that he would make her change her mind on what she had to do- it would only take one touch from him.

"Don't let what North said get to you-"

"It's not just that," she said, focusing on finishing her braid, purposely taking slower than she would usually have done.

"What is it then?" he asked, frowning. She closed her eyes, trying to summon courage- but she felt oddly empty. She turned, looking at him directly now.

"I haven't been thinking clearly," she said, in a voice that she didn't recognize. It was cold, on the edge of mean. "I'm the Queen, and I can't just go gallivanting around with Snow Spirits that have no lands and nothing to offer my kingdom or me."

He looked temporarily speechless as he gazed at her wide-eyed. He looked so astonished, as if he wouldn't have imagined her for a second capable of saying that- but then his gaze hardened. Her last shrivel of hope dissolved. The hope that he would see her words as the lies they were.

"Elsa-"

"What, Jack? Are you going to tell me again how I deserved to be loved? To not shut you out?"

"Stop it-"

"Maybe I don't want to be loved by you! Have you thought of that? Maybe, I regret every moment we spent together! I regret you ever came here in the first place, I regret telling you my secrets, I regret letting you see my nightmares!" Jack looked so stunned by her words that he literally took a step back from her.

"Well if I have nothing to offer Arendelle except from my miserable self, what am I doing here?" he snapped.

"I don't know, you tell me," she snarled, "You're the one who just appeared in my life, thinking I could fall in love with you! Well, Jack, I could never _, ever_ fall in love with you!"

She hated herself as she saw the flash of pain on his face, his eyes shining unnaturally.

"If you don't want me here, just say so," he said softly.

"You read my mind," she snarled nastily, wanting nothing more than to rip out her tongue as she said the words.

"Well, maybe I don't want to be here!" he said, raising his voice for the first time.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Next second, he'd vanished, her window slamming shut. For a second, she looked in shocked silence at the closed window.

Then, she sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands as tears streaked down her cheeks, unnatural cold seeping in the room, snowflakes falling around her.

...

Elsa didn't remember much of the next few days, feeling that they passed in a blur. Every morning, she met with the Council, and had begun to plan New Year's ball, when Anna would announce her pregnancy to the court.

On the third day, Isabel had come to tell her that she'd overheard something about foreign armies entering Arendelle. A little later that same day, Eleanor had come to find her with worrisome rumours about villages being burned to the ground, no witnesses left alive to go warn the rest of Arendelle.

Elsa had begun assembling her armies, having reclaimed her power of them. There were only a few thousand men in her army, but she had put to use the few men she could spare to sweep across the country, ordering them to report back here immediately if they saw anything suspicious. None had come back yet, but she was confident that they would return soon.

The King had requested that she let enter his own guard to the palace, as he no longer felt safe since his wife had been 'kidnapped', as that was the official story about Eleanor's disappearance. Elsa had accepted unwillingly, and watched apprehensively as at least twenty men had entered her castle. She'd ordered that Anna always be escorted by at least five of their best men, but refused to have a personal guard around her, insisting that she could defend herself.

Anna had, of course, noticed Jack's absence, going from always being by Elsa's side to vanishing into thin air. She'd also noticed Elsa's tired eyes, her unnaturally pale face, how she hadn't smiled once since he'd gone, even when Olaf had sprinted around the corner of a corridor pursued by Kristoff because he'd taken a whole sack of carrots meant for Sven. She'd mentioned it only once, however, to Elsa, who had quickly walked away from the conversation. Ever since, Anna had avoided the subject.

Elsa hid in her room every night, not caring any more about diplomacy, and didn't join the rest for dinner. She spent sleepless nights in her room, moving idly her hand, playing with tiny snowflakes floating around her fingertips. Sometimes, she dissolved into sobs that only stopped when she fell asleep crying, crying for the love she could have had, if only she wasn't her. She didn't ever notice the golden, small man looking at her kindly from outside her window, as the only Guardian who had tried to help the girl born of ice and snow continued to do so, warding her from the dark nightmares that crept on her in the night.

He came every night, just for the time being, until Jack, her true Guardian, returned to her side, as the Sandman knew he would.


	16. The Price of War

_**Note:** Still thanking you for all the reviews, though now that I have a little more time to myself, I can do that properly! First, a million thanks to HopelessRomantic183, your reviews always make my day (as do all the others)! A big thank you to elegantdestiny, and Silvermist66! To anime-vampiress, I was really touched by your review, as I sometimes doubt my writing style. To Quirk2, sorry about Katie, she had to die, her death started the whole goddamn war! And to the Guest Reviewers, your reviews (or review, if you're actually the same person) made me smile. Please review this chapter, I would really love to know what you think about it, and have a great day!_

 **Chapter 16: The Price of War**

After leaving Elsa's room, Jack had flown full speed west. He was still shaking from shock at the words she'd thrown at him, still trembling from having all his fears thrown in his face. Her words echoed in his mind, over and over, again and again, until he wanted to plunge headfirst to the ground, so that her voice would stop.

 _Maybe I don't want to be loved by you._

 _I regret every moment we spent together._

 _I could never,_ _ **ever**_ _fall in love with you._

He screamed in frustration at the silent night. And the worst was that after all that, still, all his instincts screamed at him to go back-

 _She doesn't want me there,_ he thought to himself. _She's better off without me._

The wind pushed him harder, faster south-west. He realized where he was going only when he saw the familiar statue, in front of which- what seemed like an eternity ago- Jamie had slammed into, holding on to a sled maneuvered by Jack himself. Soon, he found himself in front of Jamie's window, and slid it open, his feet sinking into the little boy's carpet. He was asleep, curled underneath his covers. The little boy had seldom changed since he'd last saw him, months ago. Maybe grown an inch or two, but other than that…

As if sensing a presence in his room, Jamie's eyes opened and he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Then, his eyes fell on Jack and they widened in shock. Jack grinned.

"Hey, little guy," he said, as Jamie cried out in joy, launching himself from the bed and hurtling into Jack's arms. It was less a shock than the first-time Jamie had hugged him, but it still felt wonderful to be held tight- real, he was completely real and solid…

Jack crouched down to be eye-level with Jamie, his arms wrapping around him.

"You came back!" Jamie gasped, letting go of him, taking a step back to have a good look at him.

"I told you I would, didn't I?" he asked, grinning. Though Elsa's words still echoed in his head, his misery had become a painful but dull ache at the back of his mind, as Jamie's joy infected him as well.

"I didn't stop believing in you, see?" Jamie said, jumping up and down excitedly. "I remembered what you told me about the sun and the moon!"

Jack laughed as Jamie hugged him again.

"How are you Jamie?" he asked when Jamie had pulled back again.

"I've been great!" he said, grinning excitedly, "Sophie lost a tooth, so I tried to stay up all night to see the Tooth Fairy, but I think Sandy knocked me out before she came."

"That sounds like Sandy all right," laughed Jack. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, and Jamie imitated him.

"Is everything all right?" asked Jamie, looking suddenly worried. "The last time you came, it was because Pitch was about to defeat you guys."

Jack's smile faltered for a second.

"Everything's fine," he said unconvincingly, and Jamie narrowed his eyes.

"You can tell me. You said I was a Guardian too."

Jack chuckled, remembering his words to Jamie. He had felt such euphoria that night, the first night since he'd been Chosen by Manny that somebody had seen him, known him. After their victory with Pitch, he'd made the vow to look after children for ever more and hadn't regretted it for a moment. He'd felt so hopeful, Sandy's fireworks exploding above him…

What he wouldn't give to go back to that night.

But then, he had not met Elsa; had not yet realized that something he hadn't known he needed was absent from his life. He didn't regret meeting her, he _could_ never regret meeting her; she was the most amazing person he had ever met, and though she had told him all those horrible things, he still yearned to go back to Arendelle.

He remembered what Pitch had told him, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

 _Seems like your fellow guardians haven't let you in on all their secrets, if you don't know about the treasure hidden in Arendelle._

Treasure indeed.

"Jack?" Jamie's voice called him back to reality, and he snapped back into focus.

"It's nothing to worry yourself with, Jamie."

"But you're upset," the little boy insisted, and Jack's smile faltered.

"Yeah, well, happens to the best of us kiddo," he said, trying bravely to call back a smile.

"Is it about a girl? Mom says that when a boy's upset and he doesn't want to talk about it, it's almost certainly about a girl."

"Smart woman, your mother is," Jack smiled. There was a pause before Jamie started talking again.

"So, is it about a girl?" he asked uncertainly. Jack hesitated.

"Yes, it's about a girl," he said, sighing.

"What does she look like?" asked Jamie curiously.

"She's-" Jack paused, unsure of where to start. "She's got blonde hair, nearly white, and um- her eyes are really blue and big, they kind of pull you in- I don't know how to explain it. She blushes when she's a little embarrassed, it's really cute, and she worries about small details, it's adorable-"

"She sounds pretty," Jamie observed. Jack laughed. That was an understatement.

"She is," he nodded. "But there's so much more, Jamie."

"Like what?"

"Well…" Jack thought for a second, "She can be formidable and empowering- fringing on a little scary to the ones that try to stop her- one second, and the next vulnerable and defenseless. Sometimes, she hides behind impenetrable walls that she's built to protect herself, and other times she just lets go. It helps if you know how to get around her walls too- something that I'd begun to know how to do," he added sadly. "And she knows how to reassure someone that's terrified, making them feel safe and protected, and when she loves someone- she would do anything for them, loves them heart and soul. And when she likes someone, she cares about what the people that person values think about her." Jack grinned at the memories that came to his mind, forgetting for a moment that maybe he would never again get to see Elsa's startled eyes when he flirted with her or made a joke, or hear her surprised scream when he flew her into the air…

"Wow," breathed Jamie, "I'd like to meet her one day."

"Maybe you will," smiled Jack. "If you're very, very lucky."

"But why are you upset, if she's like what you say she is?"

Jack sobered, the giddiness that had come with thinking about Elsa evaporating.

"It's complicated," he muttered.

"I hate it when grownups do that," said Jamie angrily, "I'm not an idiot you know!"

"I know," Jack said, grinning at Jamie's outraged look. "Well, she's a little scared of what us being together would mean."

Jamie didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

"You know, because she's scared that if I get too attached I would be really, really sad if- if something happened to her. Because I can't die."

"Oh," said Jamie in understanding. "But it looks like you'll be really sad anyway, sooooo…"

"That's what I keep telling her!" cried out Jack in relief that _finally_ someone shared his view on the question. "And I just had her convinced too when No- Santa Claus went to see her and told her to get away from me, or I would suffer."

"How do you know he said that?"

"Trust me, I know," Jack grumbled, fiddling angrily with his staff. If _only_ North hadn't interfered in his own goddamn life, maybe Elsa would be in his arms right now, her arms wrapped around his neck…

And though she'd said that it wasn't just her conversation with North, now that the sting of her words was fading a little, he realized that what she'd said, what she'd thrown at him- they were lies, every single one of her words had not been sincere-

"You should have a conversation with Santa," said Jamie, springing to his feet, "tell him to let you do what you want to do."

"He won't listen," said Jack, "He's so wounded about what happened to him that he won't even consider the possibility that maybe Elsa and I could be happy."

Jamie didn't pause to ask what had happened to North, getting carried away, sauntering across his rooms, incapable of staying still. Jack grinned as he watched him getting all excited about this, half-worried that he would wake up his mother.

"Make him listen! Or you'll just be really upset all the time- That's how mom is, since dad left. She hides it well, but I can see it. I don't want you to be like that, Jack."

Jack looked up, startled at the revelation about Jamie's father. Now that he realized it, he had never seen or heard him, and was startled that it had never come to his mind that Jamie's father didn't live with the kid. Jamie noticed him looking suspiciously at him, and shrugged.

"Don't worry, I think we're better off without him," he said simply, and though Jack could tell this was a lie, he was stopped from comforting Jamie by a smart tap on the window.

He turned, and saw to his great surprise Bunny, huge as ever, looking in from inside the window.

"The Easter Bunny!" cried out Jamie, running to the window and lifting it open. Bunny grinned as he leaped into the room with a sigh of relief- he had evidently been climbing up to Jamie's window, and knowing Bunny's fear of heights, that must have cost him dearly.

"Hey mate," Bunny said to Jamie in his familiar Australian accent, grinning. "Brought these for you and your sister." He handed Jamie a basket filled with multicolored eggs, that Jamie took from him excitedly.

"Sophie's going to be so mad she missed you!" Jamie said, looking up at Bunny.

"Tell her I miss her too," smiled Bunny, before turning to Jack, who had stopped smiling the second he'd seen Bunny at the window.

"Thought I might find you here," said Bunny. "North sent me."

Jack, who had known something like this was coming, stood up, grabbing his staff as he stared angrily at Bunny.

"He did, did he?" he snarled. Jamie looked uncertainly at the two of them.

"Yes, he did. He- he wants to talk to you."

"Like he talked to Elsa?" Jack snapped, and Bunny frowned, a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and it occurred to Jack that maybe the other Guardians weren't aware of North's attempts to bring Elsa and him apart. Far from softening him, however, the knowledge only made him angrier.

"Why aren't you with Elsa? You're supposed to be protecting her," Bunny said, oblivious to Jack's mounting rage.

"Why am I not- Oh this is the best," Jack said, laughing, though the sound was empty of all amusement. "Why am I not with Elsa, you ask, you little-"

He refrained from swearing in front of Jamie, who was looking more and more worried at the fight building between the two Guardians.

"It was your role to guard her against Pitch! I thought that was the plan!" said Bunny in an irritated voice, not understanding why Jack was behaving this way.

"WHY AM I NOT WITH ELSA?!" Jack roared suddenly, and Bunny jumped- actually _jumped_ , whilst Jamie jumped to his bed and slid under the covers, pulling them to his face and watching the scene with fearful eyes. "BECAUSE SHE CHUCKED ME OUT, THAT'S WHY, ALL BECAUSE YOUR JOLLY OLD PAL WENT AND CRAMMED HER HEAD WITH LIES ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SHE LET HERSELF BE WITH ME!"

"My jolly old- North?"

"YES, NORTH! WHO DO YOU THINK?"

"Jack, look, calm down-" said Bunny, looking thoroughly alarmed now. "I have no idea what you're talking about-"

Jack forced himself to stop shouting, if only for Jamie's sake.

"Why didn't he come himself, then, if he wants to talk to me?" he snapped.

"Trouble at the Pole, the Yetis made a mess. Listen, Jack, I really don't know what you're going on about."

His rage evaporating as soon as it had come, Jack was left with only a dull, empty ache, not caring about what Bunny was saying.

"Never mind. Go ask North, and leave me alone."

And with that, he turned to Jamie, ruffled his hair, as if he was apologizing for shouting, and making a silent promise to return. Just as he was about to run out the window, Jamie grabbed his hand, and Jack turned back to him.

"Go back to her," said Jamie. "Go back."

Jack felt a lump form in his throat, and felt his eyes burn a little. He nodded at little Jamie, and without another look in Bunny's direction, he leaped from the window-sill, the wind catching him and whisking him far away from the Guardian.

…

Though Jack badly wanted to return to Arendelle- so badly in fact, that it was a near-constant ache inside him- he didn't do so immediately. Though he wanted to see Elsa again, to try again convincing her it was no use pulling away from him, he avoided it at the same time. He passed the next few days provoking snow fights and burying everything into piles of snow, in countries far away from Arendelle. He wouldn't admit it to herself, but the truth was… he was afraid. Afraid that he was wrong, afraid that after all those weren't lies she'd said, afraid that she would make him leave her again, afraid that she would shut him out.

He didn't know if he had enough strength in him to take it a second time.

Five days after he'd left Elsa behind, doing everything in his power to avoid thinking about her, he was once again wreaking havoc inside a small village, on the coast of Croatia. It looked like the people there had rarely seen snow, and were completely perplexed when powerful winds swept open their doors, their children screaming with glee as they ran outside, lifting their hands to catch snowflakes in their hands. Soon, he'd covered the ground with several inches of snow and it seemed like every child living in the village was outside, rolling around in the snow and having snowball fights (he may, or may not have started it).

When the sun set, parents called in their children, though looking as if they'd like to see them play a little longer in the snow, and Jack sat on a roof, one leg swinging into emptiness, fiddling with his staff as looked down at the children sadly leaving the snow-covered square. He saw a small girl with braided brown hair walk with her hand in her mother's hand. Just as she was about to enter her house, she turned back and to Jack's astonishment, looked directly at him. She waved shyly, before running into the cottage. Jack grinned. All afternoon, that girl had seen him brew mischief, and hadn't said a word.

He laid down on the roof, not feeling the hard tiles against his back. He watched as stars appeared gradually in the clear night sky, the cold wind ruffling his hair.

He had been gone long enough. It was more than time to go back.

But what if she'd realized in his absence that she was better off without him?

 _I wish we'd never met_.

Lies, he told himself, she was lying.

But still, there was a deep, dark fear living inside him that none of it had been lies, that she'd meant every word.

 _You know she didn't,_ he thought firmly. _This is Elsa we're talking about. She'd lie to protect me._

 _She'd lie to protect me._

The words echoed in his mind. A wonderful possibility came to his mind; maybe, after all this time, Elsa felt as he did. His thoughts flitted back to their kiss, of the feeling of her body under his, how he'd tried to stop her getting up to answer the door, scared that she would regret letting herself go- how she had breathed 'No, I won't' and softly kissed him…

She hadn't been preoccupied, then, that he had nothing to offer Arendelle then. Nor was she now, he realized and he was again convinced that she'd lied.

 _Let me be right,_ he thought. _Please let me be right._

He stood up and started running, jumping off the edge of the roof as he did so, the wind catching him. Jack didn't even see the little girl watching the Snow Spirit flying away.

As he soared over the village, a dark shadow caught his eye. He stalled in mid-air. It had looked for a second- but no, he had imagined it-

There it was again.

Jack landed on the ground and set off at a run, his bare feet slamming against the ground.

 _WHOOSH_

He changed directions as the Nightmare passed him, running after it. Finally, he ran straight into a dead-end, and the Nightmare was nowhere to be found. He crouched into a defensive stance, holding his shepherd's crook aloft, turning on himself, his eyes searching the shadows. If a Nightmare was here-

"Hey, mate."

Jack turned around suddenly, prepared to ice blast the person- or monster- in front of him, though he'd recognized dimly the Australian accent.

"Oh. It's you," he said as he saw Bunny, leaning against one of his cottages.

"No need to sound so disappointed," retorted Bunny, spinning a boomerang in his hand. "I've been looking everywhere for you for the past five days."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty good at hiding when I want to not be found," said Jack, already starting to walk away from him, "Look, Bunny, if you're here to tell me North wants to talk to me, you're wasting your time. I'm going back to Elsa, and nothing you guys say is going to stop me."

"I don't want to stop you," said Bunny, "I actually had a row with North about what he did."

Jack stopped in his tracks. He turned, a hand in his front pocket.

"You did?" he said, lifting his eyebrows.

"Yep. I think you two deserve a shot, and it's not like we have a choice anyhow- no matter what we do you'll go back to her, eventually, I saw that when you started yelling at me that she chucked you out." Jack was surprised to see Bunny was grinning, a glint in his eyes. He grinned back, unable of stopping himself.

"Damn right, I am," he said.

"But first," said Bunny, his grin vanishing, "You _do_ have to talk to North."

"Why?" Jack snapped, "He'll just go and tell me more depressing stories about what happened to him."

"Don't be too harsh on him," said Bunny quietly, "You should have seen him, after we found Anita killed by Pitch- it was horrible. He thinks he's looking out for you."

Jack didn't answer. He couldn't imagine what state he'd be in if Elsa was found murdered because of him.

 _Still, he shouldn't have gone talk to Elsa like he did._

"I'm going to see Elsa first," he said firmly. "If she takes me back, I'll go talk to North."

He turned away, and slammed into a yeti, that towered over him.

"I was afraid you'd say that," said Bunny.

"Don't you _dare_ -" he started, but the rest of his protest died on his tongue as Phil lifted him up by the scruff of his neck.

"Sorry, Jack," said Bunny, though he didn't sound sorry at all as Jack tried to wriggle desperately out of the yeti's grasp. "It was North's idea."

And with that, Jack was thrown into a dark sack, and he felt himself thrown through the portal, as he recognized the sensation of being thrown across Earth in a few heartbeats.

Next thing he knew, he'd landed painfully, the sack springing open, revealing the Globe room. He crawled out, and the second he was out, springing to his feet. Next to him, a gaping hole opened in the floor, and Bunny jumped out of it. Half-wanting to strangle the guy, Jack opened his mouth to start yelling, but was cut short by Tooth.

"Jack!" she cried and hurtled to him, hugging him. "We were so worried!"

Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her. Try though he might, Jack found it impossible to feel the same rage for Tooth that he felt for Bunny. Deep down, he knew what was happening wasn't either of their faults, but he was still mad that after turning a blind eye to Elsa's suffering for nearly her whole life, North would think it was appropriate to stuff Elsa's head with more fears than she already had. And he was totally taking his outrage out on Bunny. Tooth let go of him, and behind her was Sandy. Now, he was reluctant to be mad at Tooth- but it was impossible to be angry at Sandy. The small Guardian was bouncing up and down excitedly around Jack, and Jack chuckled despite himself.

"I'm happy to see you too, Sandy."

A question mark made out of sand floated above Sandy's head.

"I've been around," answered Jack, though something told him that Sandy knew exactly why he'd been avoiding the guardians.

"Hello Jack," said a deep, booming voice and Jack turned to see North walking towards him. He stiffened, and saw Tooth exchange a meaningful look with Bunny.

"You came," North said simply.

"I didn't have much of a choice," said Jack, "seeing as I was shoved into a sack and tossed through a magical portal. You've got to be more creative about how you kidnap people."

"I'll think about it," said North, and Jack resisted the urge to smile.

"So- now you've got me here, say what you want to say, so I can leave."

Tooth looked a little scared at his tone as she edged closer to Bunny. Sandy huffed in acknowledgement of the tension in the air.

"Jack-" (Jack prepared himself mentally for what was coming) "I know that I went wrong way to handle situation, but I'm just trying look out for you."

Jack noticed the enhanced Russian accent, that always became more pronounced when North got upset, or angry, and though he'd made an effort to remember to place all articles in Elsa's presence, he had gone back to his usual quick talk, not careful of the grammar mistakes. Not that it bothered any of them.

"Just trying-" coughed Jack. "Well, please stop trying, then. Because approaching Elsa is really not looking out for me."

"I know you think it's not, but Elsa is trouble, for all of us. You _will_ be hurt by her."

"It's done already," said Jack, shrugging, "I'm going to get hurt either way, but I plan on being happy a little first. And that means that you have to find someone else to brainwash."

" _Brainwash_?! Jack, I only wanted to help!"

"Aren't you listening?! You did the _opposite_ , North! Look, all of you lost the right to give lessons to Elsa when you turned a blind eye to what was happening to her," he said, his anger coming back in a sudden rush, "Did you know that she still has nightmares? She wakes up in the middle of the night, terrified, because she was treated like less than nothing, and each one of you could have stopped it. Are you people Guardians or not?"

Bunny's gaze dropped to the floor in shame, and Jack, far from feeling remorse about it, was oddly satisfied.

"We can't fix the past," said Tooth softly, "Though we wish we could. You can't throw it in our faces forever, Jack… If Elsa can find it in herself to forgive us, then you should too."

"Elsa would forgive anything you did to her, that's who she is- as long as you didn't attack her sister. I don't even know how she's grown into this- this _amazing_ girl, when she had to live through what she did. And I'm not throwing it in your faces, I'm just telling you that you weren't true Guardians with her, and that you lost the right to give her shitty advice a long, long time ago."

Sandy looked at Jack with an insulted glare, and Jack smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Sandy, I didn't mean you. I know you looked after her." He gazed around at the other Guardians. "But you were the only one who did."

And without another word, Jack's feet took off from the ground, leaving the other Guardians stunned in his wake.

He was out, already flying south towards Arendelle, when he heard Tooth calling him back. He stopped, and heard her flitting towards him, Sandy at her side.

"Jack!" she called again, and he faced her, halting in mid-air. She flew up to him, and spluttered for a moment, breathless. "You didn't stay long enough, so we couldn't tell you-"

"Tell me what?" he asked curiously.

"I saw the Southern Army march into Arendelle. They stay hidden, only moving at night, and I tried to protect as many children as I could, but- they don't leave any survivors. I think- I think they're going towards the castle. You have to hurry back."

"Do you think they'll be there yet?" he asked urgently, and Tooth shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. But you have to warn Elsa."

"I will," he said, nodding and turning her back to her again. He was about to propel himself south when she grabbed his arm. "And Jack- good luck. With Elsa. Sandy told me that she's been crying every night since you left."

Jack looked at Sandy, and the little golden man nodded.

"She's been _crying_?!" he said in disbelief, and Sandy nodded again, a pained expression on his face.

So all of this- just to make him go away, for his own safety- and it had caused her so much pain…

And the worst of it was that he'd actually believed it, had actually ran, and now Elsa was as unhappy as ever as armies closed around her from all sides- guilt racked his insides. He should never, ever have felt.

"Thank you Tooth," he said, embracing her. "And you too, Sandy," he added, smiling at the Sandman, and he took off.

He was in Arendelle in the hour, and flew at top speed past huge snow-covered mountains and frozen lakes- until, at long last, he saw the castle. The wind carried music to his ears, and it was a second before he realized that today was New Year's Eve, and that a ball would be taking place. He descended quickly from the skies, and not until he was close to the palace did he notice something.

There was an odd hush around the castle; nothing in the village was moving, though the decorations indicated that people had been planning on celebrating- instead, it was completely empty, a gust of wind roaming the deserted streets. He frowned. Then he heard a sound, and turned- there, at the servants' entrance were men filing in.

 _Maybe they're here to help with the party,_ he thought to himself, though he knew that wasn't it.

Something was very wrong. He had to get in, quickly- Elsa was in there, without him-

That's when the screams started.

…

Elsa had looked in her mirror without any emotion as she'd put on her make-up before the ball. Purple eye-shadow brought out her brilliant blue eyes, and Gretel smiled as she beheld the queen.

"You look beautiful, your Majesty," she'd said. Elsa smiled a little, for Gretel's sake, and the servant looked delighted. She left the room, to help with the last of the preparations, and Elsa had been left with only her reflection for company. Her tired look had been hidden by make-up, and a faint blush colored her face. But no amount of cosmetics could hide her unhappy look.

There was a knock on the door, and Anna entered. Elsa turned to watch her sister approach, and noticed that she was beginning to show; her stomach had taken a round shape, barely noticeable. Still, it was more than time to announce her pregnancy to the world. She was wearing an emerald green ball gown, that perfectly matched her eyes.

"Hello, you," she said, attempting- and failing miserably- to use a cheerful tone. She hated herself for looking so sad when this was such an important day for Anna. Her sister seemed to read her mind, and walked over to where Elsa sat, squeezing her shoulders.

"Have you decided on a name?" asked Elsa, giving a try at conversation.

"We're still thinking about it," she answered. "Still no news from Jack?"

Something told Elsa that Anna knew exactly what she was asking, as she felt her smile vanish from her face. She didn't answer, and began to braid her hair.

"I think- I know that you told him to stay away," said Anna quietly, "didn't you?"

Elsa still didn't answer, but Anna seemed to understand her silence as a confirmation.

"Elsa-" she said, and there was definitely an exasperated tone in her voice, "can't you see how unhappy you are?"

"I prefer being unhappy, rather than him being unhappy over me."

"But _why_ would he be unhappy with you?! Honestly, Elsa, you're the only one that hasn't noticed how he looks at you. You two are nearly as obvious as Gregory and Eleanor, and that's saying something."

Elsa's lips perked around the corners, but the small smile vanished as soon as it had appeared.

"That's precisely why I did it," she said quietly, "don't you get it? I'm going to grow old, and he'll watch me slowly die-"

"You didn't come up with this on your own, did you?" asked Anna suspiciously.

"Well- no, but that doesn't make it any less true-"

"Elsa," sighed Anna, "what am I going to do with you?"

The door opened and Gretel's head emerged into the room.

"Your Majesty, Princess Anna, you should probably go down. The guests have arrived."

"I'll go," said Anna, walking towards the door. At the last moment, Anna turned back. "And Elsa? Wear an ice dress."

Before she could protest, Anna had disappeared. She chuckled softly, shaking her head.

…

She descended the stairwell that led into the ball room. A great hush seemed to settle over the guests, as they looked at the queen. Even she knew she was beautiful.

She'd forgotten how at ease and comfortable she felt in an ice dress, the cold comforting as it hugged her body. Ice sparkled on her bodice, her capelet trailing on the steps as she walked down, her heels making elegant sounds. There was a slit in the skirt, revealing her leg- her sleeves were transparent, the ice so well put together that most people would think that she was wearing silk.

She'd looked at herself in the mirror, her hair braided elegantly back. With a pang, she'd remembered a cheerful morning, not so long ago…

 _I'd like to see you in an ice dress._

She remembered the sound of his voice, as his eyes had sparkled when he'd looked at her.

Finally, she arrived at the foot of the staircase, and forced a smile on her face.

"May the first dance begin," she said, her voice echoing, and immediately the room was filled with music. She recognized the tune almost instantly; A Winter Waltz.

The one she and Jack had danced too.

Was the memory of him going to follow her until the end of her days?!

Everyone around her was dancing, in a flurry of movement. She caught sight of Eugene and Rapunzel, Punzie looking much too enthusiastic for this solemn dancing. She hid a smile.

In the past week, Rapunzel had been ever present, as Anna had been. They'd bonded more than ever as they'd shared their worries about the Southern Army approaching. She caught Rapunzel's eye, and her cousin beamed at her from afar. Elsa smiled back, and walked to the throne. She sat down, crossing her legs elegantly. She caught sight of the six counsellors, and they nodded respectfully in her direction. She nodded back, thinking to herself that she would have to appoint a new counsellor soon- it was tradition that the Council always be composed of seven members.

The King of the Southern Isles was dancing with Eleanor, holding her too tight for her to possibly be comfortable. She was particularly stunning tonight; her deep red hair had been swept up into an elegant hair-do, curled locks falling from it and encircling her face; her green eyes sparkled in the chandelier's light, as her midnight blue gown swished around her ankles, as she danced. Gregory was standing in a corner, looking in his father's direction darkly, holding a glass of wine and turning it slowly around, so that the gorgeously purple liquid swished around.

Anna and Kristoff were dancing too, Kristoff looking down adoringly at his wife. She could see how much they loved each other from where she sat, married for less than a month, and as happy as anyone could be.

The final notes of the song echoed into silence, and the room was hushed again. Elsa stood up from her throne, and walked to the edge of the three steps that would lead her to the same level as her guests.

"Dear guests," she said. "Welcome to my castle. I wish you all a very happy new year, and wish you well."

The crowd applauded, and Elsa stood a little straighter. Before she could start speaking again, however, she noticed, from the corner of her eye, one of the King's soldiers advance and whisper something in his ear. The King nodded, and Elsa frowned. She caught Eleanor's gaze- and what she saw there made her hold her breath. Eleanor- who had been near enough to hear what the King had been told- looked more than alarmed; it was panic in her look, anguish as she looked around. Her gaze latched on to Elsa's, and she nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"I am going to take advantage of this marvelous occasion to announce to all of you a very happy event that will soon come to pass." Elsa felt as if the words she was saying were coming from a stranger's mouth as she looked around the ballroom, trying to look unalarmed and oblivious. There was unmistakably signs of restlessness, as the crowd seemed to shift a little. She clasped her hands together in front of her, trying to control the panic that threatened to overtake her. She ploughed on bravely, trying to not let anyone see her distress. "As you all know, my sister married Prince Kristoff earlier this month. I have never known people as inspiring as these are, and the love that they share is envied by all. I am very, very happy to announce-"

At that precise moment, Elsa saw a white-haired boy whizz past the window of the ballroom, so fast she'd thought she'd imagined it. Speech had temporarily been robbed from her, and the audience was looking at her curiously.

 _It can't be_ , she thought. _It's not him. A large snowflake, perhaps._

"Princess Anna is with child," she said, her voice shaking- though most of the people listening mistook the tremble in her voice as happiness. "With a little prince or princess, a direct descendant with a claim to my throne, if I never come to have children."

The audience gasped and clapped. The servants, moving around the guests, had temporarily forgotten to serve as they all rushed to Anna- who most of them had as good as raised- to hug and congratulate her. Rapunzel hurtled forward, throwing herself into Anna's arm.

Elsa didn't smile, however. She looked around her and saw Eleanor looking in a direction. Elsa realized that she was alone- the King was no longer standing beside her.

Elsa tensed, knowing that something was deeply wrong, already summoning her magic. She followed Eleanor's gaze-

She saw a guard beginning to draw his sword. She lifted her hand- not knowing if she was going to order that someone stop him, or blast him with ice- but before she could do anything, the ball room went completely dark. You couldn't see a thing, as a heavy, terrifying darkness filled the room, the kind of darkness that robbed you of all your senses…

The room erupted in screams. She stumbled down the steps.

"ANNA!" she screamed, just as she felt someone grab her from behind, their arm surrounding her throat and squeezing all the air out of her lungs. She was pulled away from the screams, and heard a door open and close behind her. She was pushed, and a second later the man was at her again, his hands around her throat. Suddenly, dazzling light blinded her, and she felt herself be slammed against a wall, the small air she had left leaving her lungs.

"Hello, Queenie," she heard a man's voice she didn't recognize growl, "The King really wants to see you, you know that?"

He was so close that she could smell his rotten breath, and gritted her teeth against the mounting panic. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to summon her magic-

"Not so fast, girlie," continued the man. "Your little tricks won't work on me."

Black spots danced over her vision. Air- she needed air, she couldn't use her powers in this state- Distantly, she heard the man growl: "I'm sure he won't mind if I get a little taste of you first, sweetheart," and felt his hands slide under her skirt, up her thigh- she thrashed and kicked, but it was no use, he was pressing her to the wall-

The door crashed open.

"Get away from her," growled a voice, and the man holding her was blasted backwards. She fell to the ground, trembling, gasping for air. She felt strong arms wrap around her, and she lurched, trying to flee-

"Snowflake, it's me," Jack said urgently. She opened her eyes, and sure enough, there was Jack, a strand of his shock of white hair falling in front of his stunningly blue eyes. Relief and amazement crashed through her.

"Jack-" she breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back," he said, smiling, still holding her. Behind him, Elsa saw the man who had attacked her pinned to the wall by nothing but air, looking completely terrified. He must think that a malevolent ghost had attacked him, she thought. She turned back to Jack, who was checking that she was okay, and looked back up, meeting her gaze with a heart-breaking desperation. "I know you didn't mean a single one of those things. I know you're trying to protect me. But it won't work, Elsa, I'm here to stay, I'm not letting you go. Who cares if we don't know anything about how we're going to make this work? I don't, and neither should you, if you're happy with me now."

Elsa looked for a second into Jack's eyes, and all her walls came crumbling down, all her arguments that they could never be together falling away, as she swung her arms around his neck and pulled her to him, their mouths crashing into each other.

This was an urgent, passionate kiss, and she heard his staff fall to the ground as he wrapped both of his arms around her, responding immediately to the kiss, her feet lifting off the ground.

"I'm sorry," she said, half-sobbing, "I'm so sorry about what I said- I didn't mean it, I never regretted meeting you, I will never regret that-" He broke away from her, staring into her eyes. "It was the best day of my life," she said simply, and he pulled her to him, their mouths joining again.

"I know," he whispered, just as a scream sounded from behind the closed door that led to the ball room. They both turned, Jack's hand sliding in hers and gripping it tightly. He picked up his staff, and looked at the door with a renewed determination.

"Okay, Snowflake," he said, "Time to show these bastards what we can do."

…

The door slammed open. Elsa and Jack ran out into the ballroom; Jack saw that light had returned, but nearly wished that the ballroom be plunged in darkness again. What he witnessed was horrifying- bodies littered the ground, young girls in ball gowns, rich counts and dukes beside them. A raging battle was taking place; Jack saw Anna and Kristoff back-to-back, swords drawn, battling with five Southern guards at once, their swords flashing through the air. He wondered where Anna had learned to fight like that.

If the situation hadn't been so dramatic, he might have laughed upon seeing Rapunzel disarming a guard with a frying pan, and Eugene in a heated battle with one of Pitch's nightmares.

Eleanor was sliding on the floor, slashing enemy legs with what looked like a small, deadly dagger; Gregory was not far from her, battling one of his own brothers. Jack recognized him dimly as the one named Broderick.

Elsa hurtled into the crowd, firing icy blasts everywhere. Suddenly, a Nightmare crashed in through the window, and ran towards the Queen. Without realizing what he was doing, Jack ran after her, jumping high in the air, and swished his staff. Instantly, the Nightmare was transpierced by an icy blast. He landed next to Elsa.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly, throwing her hands forward, and three guards that were coming running at her were propelled against the nearest wall, colliding with it with such a force that they fell, limp.

"Good one, Snowflake," he said, throwing his staff forwards, ramming another Nightmare with ice, and then ramming his staff backwards into the stomach of a soldier that had been running at him from behind. The soldier bent in two, spluttered, and fell. Hitting him with another thrust of his staff, Jack knocked him out. He looked around; Elsa was surrounded by guards, all approaching her, pointing swords towards her. He ran towards her.

"NO!" she screamed at him. "I can take care of them on my own, go and help Anna!"

Sure enough, she slammed her feet onto the ground and ice erupted from the impact. The soldiers lost their balance, and Elsa took it to her advantage; thrusting her hands forward again, ice sprang out from the floor, knocking them backwards. Jack turned, running past Eleanor- who was giving the King a piece of her mind, as she slashed his stomach, and the old man staggered backwards before running in the opposite direction- Rapunzel, now fighting a Nightmare, banging him repeatedly on the head with her frying pan (as he passed, Jack swung his staff, and the Nightmare dropped to the ground, nothing more than a rest of ice, deciding that Rapunzel wasn't going anywhere with her method), and hurtled towards Anna, who was now separated from Kristoff; she was engaged in an epic sword-fight against three men at once. Jack jumped into the air, before twirling down backwards, slamming into the ground. At the impact, ice spikes rose from the ground, transpiercing one guard pretty gruesomely; at the same time, Anna rammed her sword through one guard's stomach, and Jack threw the last one backwards with a breath of wind. She grinned at him, as she turned, her sword twirling in her hand.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," she said, parrying an attack from a guard. Jack, now gripping his staff with two hands, made ice rain down on the guards attacking them. Distantly, he saw Elsa raise walls of ice, protecting her, and then ramming them forward towards the guards.

"Missed me?" he asked, grinning. He had grown fond of Anna over the past month, fonder than he'd realized.

"I'm not the only one who did," she said, winking at him; then, they were swarmed by what seemed like seven guards, and couldn't talk anymore. Where were they all coming from?

Jack turned, and saw that Southern Guards kept swarming in from a small door on the side of the room.

 _Probably the servant's entrance… which means someone let them in._

A sword pierced him, but cleaved right through him, as if he wasn't even there. He looked down, breathless. For once, he was glad that he was as close to non-existence as you could get.

He froze the soldier who had done it, and continued running towards the door. He had to shut it, or they would be overcome soon- They must be, at most, thirty fighting, the Counsellors, Elsa, a few servants (most had run, or laid dead on the floor) and a few guards, but who looked mostly unprepared to such a violent attack. Before he could reach it, there was an enormous crash, and the huge window imploded, shards of glass raining down on them. Following his instinct, Jack threw his staff upwards, and he, Elsa, and all of them were covered by an ice barrier against which the glass shattered. The guards, however, were not so lucky; they screamed as the sharp glass pierced their skin, most of them raising their hands to protect their eyes.

CRACK.

He looked nervously to the ceiling, as the huge crystal chandelier starting to swerve unnaturally. He looked down, and saw Rapunzel and Elsa, now fighting side by side, completely oblivious to the danger ahead. He hurtled forward, grabbing Rapunzel's arm and Elsa's waist, and jumped high into the air, pulling the both of them up with him, just as the huge chandelier went crashing down on the guards that had been attacking them moments before.

"That was close," said Rapunzel, her feet dangling into the air. "Good to see ya, Jack."

"Good to see you too, Rapunzel," he said, winking at her.

At that moment, the same darkness that had first invaded the Ball came back. He felt Elsa stiffen against him, and he brought both of them back to the ground. He couldn't see anything, and Elsa was gripping his arm as if it was the only thing keeping her sane. A flash of green light, and suddenly Pitch, riding one of his Nightmares, rode in through the window, and landed in front of them. Jack pulled Elsa behind him, and he gritted his teeth.

"Why, hello Jack. Fancy seeing you here," said Pitch. "I take it that you found the treasure hidden in Arendelle, then?"

"The other Guardians are on their way, Pitch," Jack lied, "And you're going to be very sorry when they arrive."

Pitch laughed.

"Except they're not, dear Jack. I sent a few Nightmares in their direction, and trust me they won't realize what's going on here for quite a while."

Not waiting another second, Jack lurched into action; an icy spike aimed for Pitch's Nightmare erupted out of nowhere, but missed, as Pitch lurched out of the way. He slid off the nightmarish horse.

"Oh Jack," he said chuckling, "Haven't you learned anything?"

Not seeing it happen, Pitch suddenly had a huge weapon in his hands, and threw it forward. Jack leaped, pulling Elsa with him as they narrowly missed it. Jack couldn't do anything as he saw Pitch throw it their way again- but Elsa threw her hand forward, and the weapon crashed into an impenetrable ice wall that had appeared in mid-air. Jack saw the instant Pitch realized who exactly was in his arms; his eyes widened with a kind of mad gleam, and he smirked.

"Now, _this_ is who I've been looking for," he said. Jack readjusted his grip on his staff, preparing for a fight to the death; because that was what it was going to take, if Pitch wanted to lay a hand on her.

"Jack, you can't fight if you're holding me," she said, and it seemed as if the battle raging below them was oddly muffled somehow. Jack saw a guard disarm Anna, and Kristoff lurched forwards to help her- but a sword sank into his stomach, and Anna screamed at her fallen husband. He closed his eyes shut.

"I can," he said to Elsa.

"No, you can't."

And Jack was blasted back from her, and before he realized it he was floating in mid-air alone. He looked down, and Elsa was falling, falling… and landing into a huge pile of snow that hadn't been there seconds before. Pitch landed on the ground.

"If you want me, you'll have to come and get me!" he heard Elsa scream, and it seemed like a million icy blasts hit Pitch at the same time. He avoided them all, laughing maniacally.

"I plan too, little one!"

Jack hurtled forwards, but found himself blocked from going any further by what looked like icy, solid air-

"ELSA!" he shouted, "YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM ON YOUR OWN! LET ME IN!"

But Elsa didn't so much as glance up at him, her whole being focused on Pitch.

She avoided narrowly a gust of black sand, that burst into flames when it touched the ground. She threw her hand towards Pitch, and ice arrows erupted into existence, spinning towards the dark man. He avoided them, and vanished. Elsa turned slowly around herself, her arms raised. Jack was still floating, watching, completely terrified, incapable of paying any attention to Anna, who had picked up Kristoff's sword and thrown herself into the fight with a renewed fierceness, or Eugene, who had grabbed a sword from the ground and was slashing his sword through the air, leaving dead men in his wake as if he had been born with a sword in his hand.

"I could offer you so much, Elsa," said a deep, terrifying voice, and Elsa turned to see Pitch standing a mere inch from her. "Everything you ever wanted. Vengeance on those who abused you, power over your subjects, your sister protected forever… join me, and your wishes will come through."

"NEVER!" she screamed, and threw a huge ball of ice his way. Jack was shaking now, and it was killing him to be so close, yet so far away from her fight.

"They'll never accept you, Elsa, not really," Pitch said, next to her ear. "You'll always wonder… why you? Why were you chosen, to be like this?"

Jack recognized the words, as Pitch had once told them to him.

"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" he screamed, but Elsa was now completely still. Anna, holding a sword, had noticed the fight between her sister and Pitch, and was running forwards, with a fierce determination on her face, her red hair flying around her. Just like Jack had been, she was thrown backwards. Suddenly, a storm of black sand erupted around Pitch, and when it dissolved, it wasn't Pitch anymore; well, it was him, because it was his cruel expression etched upon Anna's face. Elsa lurched backwards, and Jack looked between the real Anna and the Pitch-Anna. One looked terrified, confused; the other, looked smug and cruel.

"Your sister, who no matter what she tells you will always be terrified of you."

"NO!" Anna screamed, banging against the solid air, "ELSA DON'T LISTEN, IT'S NOT TRUE, NONE OF IT IS TRUE-"

But Elsa seemed too far gone to hear her. She stared at Anna's face in a kind of horrified shock. Black sand covered Pitch again, and when it dissolved there was a brown-haired woman that Jack did not know, looking cruelly at Elsa. Elsa whimpered at the sight, and Anna sank to her knees.

"Your mother, horrified at what she had brought into this world, what a monster you were, how frightened she was for her second daughter-"

"No," sobbed Anna, "Elsa, it's not true, she loved you more than she ever loved anything-"

Black sand covered Elsa's mother, and when it faded, a tall, blond-red haired man emerged, and Jack didn't need to hear Elsa's intake of breath to know who this was.

"Your father," said Pitch quietly, "Who ordered for you to be imprisoned in that room, because he couldn't bare the sight of you-"

"No," gasped Elsa, "No, he didn't know-"

"You know he did, little one. He was behind it all."

" _NO!_ " she shrieked, and ice seemed to erupt out of her being in a violent blast; Pitch surrounded himself with dark sand, which seemed to protect him from Elsa's powers, and when he emerged once more, Jack was horrified to see that Pitch had turned into a small, blond-eyed girl. He recognized immediately.

"You cause so much misery around you," Pitch said in Katie's small voice, "You were responsible for Katie's death, when all she wanted was to serve you well."

"STOP IT, STOP IT!" Elsa shouted, and Jack saw that tears were cascading down her cheeks now. He flew back, and hurtled towards the wall again, but it was no use, he couldn't get through. Finally, Pitch was surrounded with black sand again, and he emerged as the most terrifying thing so far.

The sand fell to the feet of a white-haired boy, with blue eyes, a staff in his hands. He hated Pitch, he always had- but when he saw Elsa sink to her knees as she saw Jack's face looking at her with a cruel smirk, he decided that hatred wasn't a big enough word to describe what he felt for Pitch.

Elsa buried her face in her hands, as Jack landed beside Anna, who was banging her fists against the invisible wall that was stopping her from going to her sister.

"You're not him," he heard Elsa murmur to herself, "You're not Jack."

The Pitch-Jack laughed cruelly, and the real Jack was horrified to hear his own voice coming out of his mouth.

"No, I'm not, little one, but I know what he thinks. I always know. Do you know what he feels for you? Only pity, darling, he pities the poor, miserable creature you are and that's why he came back. You're worthless to him, he wouldn't blink if you died, it would be a relief, because you're nothing but a burden, an obligation to him."

"ELSA!" Jack shouted. "ELSA, YOU KNOW IT ISN'T TRUE!"

Elsa turned, just a little, and saw the real Jack screaming behind her. Her eyes widened, and he shook his head.

"Elsa," he said, and he knew she heard her, "I've never felt like this for anyone before. Don't let him play on your fears, believe me, the real me, that's offering his heart to you, not because you have ice powers, or because you're broken inside, but because you're the most amazing, wonderful, brilliant girl I have ever met."

"He lies," said the fake-Jack, and Elsa turned back to him. "You know he does. No-one can ever love you, not even your own sister. But I can. Come with me, and all of your misery will end, all of your sorrow, all of your fear… Come with me, and you will never have to worry about what people around you feel, you will be stronger than all of them-"

"Shut up," Jack heard Elsa say quietly. Jack saw that the battle around him seemed to have halted, as everyone seemed to watch, in breathless silence. Eugene and Rapunzel ran to Anna, picking her up from the floor and holding her tight as they watched fearfully. "You don't know anything about what people feel about me, and I will _never_ follow you. I'd rather die, than spend the rest of my days with you."

The fake Jack's smirk disappeared.

"Very well," he said in a low, dangerous voice that the real Jack had never heard escape his lips before. "If you want to play, darling, then we will play. There are other ways to make you do my bidding."

"No," said Elsa, "there aren't."

And with that, Elsa twisted her hand, and ice arrows appeared again, going straight for Pitch; at the same moment, what looked like an ice rope erupted from her hand, and coiled around Pitch's hand; but a black barrier appeared before Pitch, and the arrows all crashed to the ground; now, a knife was in his hand, cutting the rope that had wrapped itself around his hand; he grabbed his horse, and hoisted itself on it.

"Until we meet again," he snarled, and ran out of the window, into thin-air. He shouted, "GRAB THE GIRL!" before disappearing, and Jack noticed that all of the Southern soldiers seemed to be surrounded by black smoke. One ran towards Anna, grabbing her arm; she screamed, just as Elsa shouted "NO!". Then, Rapunzel, knocked her cousin's arm out of the soldier's grasp, and said, looking him dead in the eye;

"I am Princess Anna of Arendelle."

Next second, they'd both vanished. Eugene looked stunned.

It was a moment before Jack realized that they were alone in the ballroom, alone with bodies surrounding them; another moment before he realized that the solid air that had stopped him going to Elsa's rescue had vanished. He sprinted to her, and wrapped her in his arms, and she held him tight, as she looked with horror at the spot where Rapunzel had disappeared.

"What- Rapunzel-"

Eugene's knees slammed to the ground, as Anna ran to Elsa and Jack, hugging them both.

"Rapunzel- she said she was me, and they took her-"

"What just happened?" said Eugene in a strangled voice. "Where- Rapunzel-"

"Anna," they heard a chocked voice from behind them, and Anna turned to see that Kristoff was trying to sit up.

"Kristoff!" she gasped, and she hurtled towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. "I thought- I was so scared-"

Kristoff smiled bravely, then he was overcome by a fit of coughs, and Jack was alarmed to see that he was coughing blood.

"His wound is severe," said someone, and Jack and Elsa turned to see Counsellor Nicodeme advance towards them. "We should carry him to his apartments, and care for him there."

"Will he be alright?" Anna asked weakly, as five counsellors rushed forward, hoisting Kristoff onto their backs.

"We will do our best," said Counsellor Nicodeme, and they started mounting the staircase, Anna following.

"Eugene-" started Elsa, detaching herself from Jack and going to her cousin's husband- "Eugene, they're not going to kill her, they wanted Anna to hold her hostage-"

"Where is she?" he asked, and Jack saw that he was looking directly at him. "Tell me! You must know where he took her. I have to go after her!"

"I don't," said Jack, "But Elsa's right. Rapunzel is safe, at least for now."

"Safe?!" cried Eugene, " _Safe_?!"

"We'll get her back, Eugene. I swear it on Arendelle."

Eugene's eyes snapped to Elsa, and though he looked intensely distressed, he seemed to focus a little, though it was evident that panic threatened to overtake him.

"We'll go after her," she said, and Elsa gripped Eugene's trembling hand in her own. "And I promise you, that the men who took her will be very sorry they ever dared lay a hand on my family."

Eugene's gaze hardened, and Jack saw him squeeze Elsa's hand. Then, turning on his heel, he followed Anna.

Elsa walked back to Jack, and seized his hand.

"Let's try not to break that promise, shall we?" Jack said, and Elsa kissed him gently, as if to remind herself that this was the real him, and that what Pitch had said were nothing more than lies. She would worry later about what had happened, she would cry later about what had happened to Rapunzel- for now, she just wanted to sink into oblivion.

…

Rapunzel didn't scream as she was obscured by darkness. She didn't resist her captor's grasp, more scared of what would happen if she let go and spiraled into darkness. Even then, when she didn't know where she was going, if she would ever see Eugene again, she didn't regret her decision.

Eugene. What he must feel- what _she_ would feel if he pulled something like this on her-

She hadn't had a choice, she thought desperately. She couldn't let Anna be taken, no doubt to be used against Elsa, maybe even murdered- she had a baby inside her, and what a weapon she would be, if they used her against the Ice Queen-

Still. With all her bravado, all her sensible words, Rapunzel was terrified.

 _CRACK_

With an ear-splitting sound, Rapunzel left the nothingness and erupted into existence, to find herself on the ground. She lifted her head, taking in her surroundings. She was in a bedroom, she realized, a huge one, with a king-sized bed, and moonlight pouring in through the huge window. Her gaze halted for a second on the huge white orb, and though she felt as if she had never felt more afraid in her life, an odd sense of peace filled her at the sight. Then, she saw a man, tall, with a shock of red-hair, gazing out of the window, his back to her. She looked around, and saw that guards were positioned next to the door, and sitting casually on a comfortable looking armchair, was the most horrifying man Rapunzel had ever seen. She felt as if she could literally _feel_ evil emanating from him.

"Hello, darling," said Pitch, and Rapunzel shivered at the fear he struck in her heart. "I see that you are not princess Anna."

At those words, the man near the window spun around.

"You _told_ me that Anna would be the one we took!"

"I thought it would be," said Pitch, not turning his eyes away from Rapunzel. "Obviously, some mistake was made."

Rapunzel got to her feet, her evening gown now covered in blood.

"I am Princess Rapunzel of Corona," she said, more bravely than she truly felt.

"I know," said Pitch, and Rapunzel couldn't repress the shiver that coursed through her body. "You'll do."

Then, all went black.


	17. The Aftermath

**Chapter 17:The Aftermath**

Elsa joined her sister and Eugene in Anna's room, Jack following closely. Eugene was sitting in a chair, next to the fire-place, his head in his hands. Anna looked desperately worried as she listened to the doctor's diagnosis, holding a damp cloth over Kristoff's forehead.

"He will recover, if we spend every effort to keep his temperature down. Someone has to be by his bedside day and night, checking that his temperature is remaining normal."

"Of course," said Anna quietly.

The doctor bowed, and left the room, telling that he'd be back to examine Kristoff again in a few hours.

Elsa strode to her sister, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she looked at Kristoff's sleeping body. His body was covered by a white sheet, but Elsa could see that his stomach was covered in bandages that wrapped around his body.

"He'll be alright," she said to her sister, trying to convince herself as much as Anna.

"I don't know what I'll do if- if he-"

She stopped talking as tears spilled down her cheeks, and Anna hid her face in her hands.

"I can't bear it," she said, and Elsa's heart broke as she gripped her sister tighter. "It's all just so horrible- the ballroom- everyone's just on the _floor_ , and Rapunzel's gone, because she saved me-"

At the sound of his wife's name, Eugene looked up, and Elsa noted the paleness of his face.

"Anna," he croaked, and he stood from his chair, and advanced towards Anna's other side, and wrapped his arm around her, like Elsa had done, so that their arms intersected in Anna's back. "She's the bravest person I know. She'll be okay, I know it."

Anna sobbed harder, and Elsa felt her throat tighten. It was only now beginning to hit her, as the shock of all of it was finally wearing off- Rapunzel, her beautiful, brave cousin was gone, and maybe she would never see her again, and she was the one that had called to her for help, she was the reason Rapunzel had come here in the first place, this was all her fault- And where was Eleanor, where was Gregory? She'd grown to admire the beautiful queen, to value her friendship, and was it possible that she had been taken, maybe killed-

 _They'll be okay. They're resourceful, they'll find a way._

And, if Eleanor had been taken with Rapunzel, Elsa felt a little less scared for her cousin.

But nothing Elsa or Eugene said made Anna cheer up; on the contrary, she seemed to sob harder. Elsa saw Kristoff's eyes open, and his head turn towards Anna.

"Anna?" he said weakly, and immediately Anna straightened, wiping away her tears and putting on a brave face. Elsa couldn't help but feel a burst of admiration and pride for her sister, as she was trying to spare her husband from any worries.

Though, contrary to popular belief, Kristoff wasn't stupid. Even half-dying, he saw the state his new wife was in.

"I'm here," she said, smiling bravely at Kristoff. His hand twitched, and Anna- realizing what he was trying to do- grabbed his hand in hers.

"Are you alright?" Kristoff asked, and Elsa had to concentrate hard to hear him. Jack was hanging back, as if he felt like he was intruding on something meant only for family.

"Kristoff, you're the one laying on the bed with a punctured stomach!" cried out Anna. "And you're asking _me_ if I'm alright?"

Kristoff didn't answer, squeezing his eyes shut as if he was experiencing a pang of pain. He opened them again, Anna watching him worriedly.

"I'm fine," he said, and Anna threw her arms upwards.

"You're not _fine_! What were you thinking, throwing yourself in front of me like that! Don't you ever do that to me again, Kristoff Bjorman! You were on the ground, I thought you were _dead_ , you bastard-"

"Yeah well," interrupted Kristoff, gritting his teeth. "You were leaving your left side unprotected again."

She looked at Kristoff in disbelief, before a strangled laugh escaped her, and she threw her arms around Kristoff's neck, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed. Kristoff wrapped his good arm around her. Elsa smiled, and turned to look at Jack, who was watching, grinning. His eyes snapped to hers, and she smiled at him. Later, they'd talk- for now, they had to deal with the aftermath of the battle.

"I'm going to see the counsellors," she said. She stood up, Jack joining her at the door-

"Can I come?"

Elsa turned, to see Eugene watching her with a heart-breaking desperation, a need to do _something_ , anything-

"Please," he breathed. "I can't bear to just sit around."

"Of course," she nodded, and Eugene gratefully followed them out. They passed a servant, who was hurrying along the corridor, holding what looked like a pile of bandages.

"When you've finished bringing that to the person who needs them," called Elsa as the servant passed them, "Go and fetch the counsellors, and tell them to meet me immediately in the Council room."

The servant nodded, and continued to run down the corridor, now nearly running.

"This way," Elsa murmured to Eugene, and led them through the castle's corridors, and swung open the familiar double doors of the Council Room. The last time, she'd been here, her castle had still been intact- Rapunzel had been safe-

"Your Majesty," greeted a voice, and Elsa saw, to her great surprise, that four counsellors were already here.

"How did you get here so quick? I just sent the servant-"

"We were waiting for you. Counsellors Hugo, Wentworth and Terence are injured, or they would be here too."

None of them were sitting, and Elsa made no movement to sit down. Eugene stood beside her, as did Jack, though the counsellors couldn't see him.

"Tell me," she said simply, and at once Counsellor Nicodeme stepped forward.

"The soldiers came in from the servant's passage, we're investigating right now if one of them betrayed us, and let them in."

"None of them would do that," she said, but even as the words escaped her lips, her thoughts flitted to Mary, Katie's friend who had seemed to hate her so much.

 _No,_ she thought firmly, _she was Katie's friend. I told her what was at stake._

"The Southern Royal family disappeared in black smoke," continued the counselor, "as did all the soldiers that attacked us, but we managed to secure two prisoners-"

"You did?!" she exclaimed, and the counsellors nodded. Elsa saw from the corner of her eye Jack stand a little straighter, gripping his staff tighter. She looked at Eugene. He was wearing an expression of pure rage, and Elsa greatly feared that whoever those prisoners were, they would be dead in the minute after they would be taken in.

But, she thought, it should have been impossible- all their enemies had disappeared in a hurricane of black sand- why would these two be different?

"Bring them here," she ordered at a guard that stood near the door, "I want to ask them some questions myself."

The guard bowed and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"What else?" she said, turning back to the counsellors.

"A lot of nobles died in the first moments of the attack- their families are fleeing as we speak. May I remind you that the support of the nobility is crucial for your reign-"

"And the servants?" Elsa asked.

"The servants, your Majesty?" said Nicodeme, frowning in confusion.

"Yes, Counsellor, the servants, or don't they count as lost human lives to you?" she snapped, and Nicodeme flushed.  
"I didn't mean any disrespect," he said quietly, "I don't have a precise number of lost lives-"

"Well, I want a list by tomorrow morning with all their names, and how to contact their families."

"Of course," he said, bowing down, "I will have someone attend to that immediately-"

"You will do it personally," she said, "And I suggest you get started, now."

Nicodeme bowed again, though Elsa saw a gleam of rage in his eyes before he hurried out of the room. Only three counsellors were in the room now, but before she could address any of them, the doors banged open. Five guards entered, dragging two people.

"LET US GO, WE FOUGHT WITH YOU, YOU IDIOTS-"

Elsa could have laughed in relief at the sight of Eleanor, her hair a mess, her dress covered in blood, as she was putting up a hell of a fight, kicking and thrashing. Four of the five soldiers were gripping her, looking exhausted. Next to her, Gregory was standing, stoically calm, only one guard standing next to him, not holding him, not even seeming to expect an act of hostility from his prisoner. Gregory was watching Eleanor try to fight off the guards, not making a move to help her, his eyebrows raised, grinning.

Jack was grinning too.

"Eleanor!" cried Elsa out in relief, "I was wondering where you'd gone to!"

"The second the Southerns disappeared, these goddamn fools grabbed us, refusing to hear reason-"

"We saw you fight!" argued the guard, though he'd looked taken aback at Elsa's exclamation of relief.

"FOR YOU, IDIOT, WE WERE FIGHTING ON YOUR SIDE-"

Elsa burst out laughing as Eleanor roared at the guard, who looked frightened and genuinely sorry that he had ever touched the queen.

"But- but you're their queen, what was I supposed to think-"

"I'm sure Timothy didn't mean any harm," said Elsa, struggling to regain control. "The mistake was quite understandable."

The guard looked relieved and threw a grateful look at Elsa.

"But your Majesty-" said the second guard, "She had a dagger in her hand, with a dragon- that's the emblem of the Southern princes' mother's family; are you _sure_ -"

"I'm sure," said Elsa, not unkindly- these guards had fought in the ballroom, that much was clear, maybe had even seen some of their own fall. She more than understood the need to have someone, anyone that could be blamed, punished-

But Elsa noticed that at the guard's words, ' _that's the emblem of the Southern princes' mother's family_ ', Eleanor had whipped her head to Gregory, her eyes narrowed.

"It was hers," said Gregory quietly, and Elsa couldn't pull her eyes away from them. "I was wondering when you were going to figure it out. Figured you would like it better than a ring."

Eleanor stared at him, stunned. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him and kissed him with such passion that he staggered back, though gripping her against him. He laughed against her mouth.

"Is that a yes?"

"You stupid _prick_ , why didn't you ask me straight away? Yes, yes, yes, of course I'll marry you!"

"But- but aren't you already married? To his father?" asked one of the counsellors weakly, and Elsa saw that they were looking, astonished, at the pair. Elsa hadn't even fully comprehended what had happened yet, but she spoke instinctively, as if she'd been waiting for the moment to say it without realizing.

"That can easily be fixed," she said, and Eleanor turned her face to her. Her eyes were wide, shining with happiness, her cheeks flushed with giddiness and joy. Jack was leaning on his staff, wearing an ear-splitting grin, though he was now looking at Elsa curiously. "I've not known you long, Eleanor, but I know you're probably the strongest girl I've ever met, and will ever meet. You more than deserve this, and you have proved to me that you deserve more. If you desire it, I can make you a citizen of Arendelle, and thus have the power to completely and irrevocably annul your marriage to the King."

"You can do that?" asked Jack and Gregory at the same time, Eugene looking bewildered.

"Yes, as long as at least one of you is a citizen of Arendelle. Obviously, I won't make your husband the same offer-"

Her words floated in the air, and before she'd realized what was happening, Eleanor was sprinting towards her across the room and flung herself into Elsa's arms, her wild red curls flying around her and surrounding them like a curtain.

"Thank you," she whispered, "It will be an honor to consider you as my Queen."

"Your Majesty," said one of the counsellors, "Are you sure that it is wise? You will provoke the King of the Southern Isles by doing this, it will be considered an act of open hostility, maybe even start a war-"

"I think it's kind of too late for that, don't you?" Elsa asked, as Eleanor released her. "I don't know if you've caught on, but there was just a battle downstairs."

"We don't know if the Southern Isles were responsible-"

"Oh come off it!" snarled Jack.

"They've all gone, Counsellor! Not one Southern person is here anymore, except for these two- or I should say, only Prince Gregory."

"If that is the case, Queen Elsa, you may have just given Arendelle citizenship to an enemy!"

Elsa rounded on him.

"She fought! I saw her! She pierced her husband, her King, with that very dagger, do you think that was the act of the enemy?!"

The Counsellor didn't answer but gazed accusingly at her. She ignored him, and turned back to Eleanor. She would waste no more time convincing them.

"You do realize that once I cancel your marriage, declare it invalid, you will no longer be Queen?" she asked Eleanor. Eleanor turned her head to look at Gregory, who smiled encouragingly.

"Of course," she said, turning back to Elsa. "I never wanted to be Queen in the first place."

"Very well," said Elsa, "Then I declare, as your Queen, that your marriage with King Leopold of the Southern Isles is annulled. You are free from the ties that imprisoned you to him, and free to choose your own path."

Eleanor curtsied gracefully, and it was nearly a comical sight, seeing in which state her dress, her hair was, how she'd been screaming a few minutes before to the guards, that she had now turned into the picture of elegance. No wonder Gregory had fallen in love with her. She was wild, untamable, even after all that she had endured, freer than anyone she had met before-

She turned to Jack, suspecting that she would find him looking at Eleanor and Gregory, maybe even thinking the same things she did- though it bothered her that the same thoughts would cross his head- but she found him staring at her instead. They had barely spoken since the battle, but his look said what a million words couldn't. Elsa remembered that moment, when she'd been imprisoned with Pitch in that bubble she'd formed to keep them all out, all the people she loved; Elsa hadn't even realized she had cast it- had not even known she could- and she'd felt so terrified, when the ghosts of her mother and father and Katie and then imitations of the still-alive Anna and Jack had told her all those horrible things… and it was the real Anna and Jack's screaming that had tethered to reality.

She shuddered, and he seemed to know what she was thinking, and restraining himself from walking to her.

 _I've never felt like this for anyone before._

 _Believe me, the real me, that's offering his heart to you, not because you have ice powers, or because you're broken inside, but because you're the most amazing, wonderful, brilliant girl I have ever met._

Elsa had never thought that words could bring her so much joy, hope and terror at the same time. Maybe she wasn't ready, and if this was war- not the most sensible time for a relationship.

And though she felt as if she'd known him forever, it had only been a month since they'd met- definitely early-

She couldn't explain the pull he had on her. She really couldn't.

But she knew this, at least; maybe this would end badly, maybe it wouldn't, there was no way of truly knowing; and though what North had said to her still echoed in her mind, she just wanted to sink into a deep, deep sleep, Jack's arms around her. She craved the touch of his lips against hers, the sense of security, the feeling that she could be herself-

 _Concentrate,_ she thought.  
She turned back to the counsellors.

"Princess Rapunzel was taken by the Southerns. I think they plan on taking her hostage."

Eugene blanched at Rapunzel's mention, but seemed to straighten, and Eleanor looked horror-struck.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"It's not your doing," Elsa said, "Although if you have friends at the Isles- anyone, that can keep a look out for her-"

Eleanor seemed to think, chewing her lip. Then her face lit up.

"I'll see what I can do."

Elsa nodded.

"Counsellors, I expect you to do everything you can to prepare an army, contact all our allies, send word that we need help- We are at war, gentlemen, it's no use denying it."

Though some looked reticent, Elsa was pleased to see that they all nodded, muttering 'Of course'. She turned away from them again.

"I have to see the ballroom. See if they need help."

The Counsellors probably thought she was talking to them, but Jack recognized that her words were meant for him, and nodded. She was grateful that he followed her as she exited the room, followed by Eleanor and Gregory and Eugene, who hadn't said a word in all of it. Elsa strode to the enormous stairwell, a few corridors down, and looked down at what had been, a few hours ago, the most beautiful room in the castle.

The floor was now covered in shattered bits of glass and ice, that surrounded bodies. There were at least twenty of them, woman dressed in luxurious robes, men in tail-coats, and servants, and children, and in death, they were all alike, no matter how they were dressed or how they looked: in the end, thought Elsa, we're all the same, a limp form on the floor-

The horror of the scene struck her like a blow, and she staggered back. Between the bodies swarmed servants, who covered the bodies of what had surely been their friends or their masters with white sheets, cleaning up the mess, and even from where she stood, Elsa could see their hands trembling as they tended to the wounded, who were still on the floor, for some of them, their faces glistening with tears-

Elsa descended the staircase, her long glistening capelet training behind her. It seemed like such a long time ago that she had stood in front of her mirror, examining the dress she'd created, thinking about Jack-

Now, he was at her side, and without a word, he caught her hand, and Elsa tightened her hold on him. Some of the servants stopped their work, gazing at their queen.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she murmured, her voice quieter and without the confidence she'd had in the Council Room. "I was wondering- if I could help."

The servants looked at each other, bewilderment and surprise etched across their faces.

"Your Majesty, surely, you should be resting-"

"I'll rest when I'm dead," she said, "Let me help. Please."

The servants hesitated for a moment more, but one finally scurried forward, bringing white bandages to the Queen.

"There are buckets of water over there, if you see that one of them has a too-high fever that has to break urgently and it can't wait for him to be moved. If you need towels, bandages, sheets, anything they're over there too," he said, indicating a spot near the servant's entrance. Elsa recalled how it was a possibility that one of her own people had betrayed them, granting access through the doors, telling the Southerns when to strike, for when better than a ball on New Year's; every member of the royal family was sure to be there… but she suppressed the thought as she took the bandages the servant was handing her. She would worry about finding out what exactly had happened later… for now, there was work to do.

"I want to help too!" she heard Eleanor say as she came running down the staircase, holding tightly her still bloody dagger in her hand. At the sight of her, several servants backed away, throwing her looks full of hatred, which seemed to make her pause.

"It's fine," Elsa said, loudly enough, "She was spying for me. She's on my side, defended us."

They seemed to relax slightly, though several still looked wary, even more so when they saw Prince Gregory in her tow. Eleanor, though, seemed oblivious to this as she took bandages and followed Elsa as she walked between the wounded and the dead. They were joined by Eugene who, Elsa was pleased to see, seemed to have gained a sense of purpose as he grabbed bandages too. Soon, Elsa, Eleanor, Gregory and Eugene were at different areas of the ballroom, separating the dead from the living, and doing everything they could to help the wounded when they could. Elsa, her dress now unrecognizable beneath blood and grime that seemed to stick to the ice, felt that they might have been there minutes, hours, maybe days, her tended to the wounded, Jack giving her whispered advice, telling her to turn somebody's body one way or another, wrapping a bandage this way, not that way, Snowflake, look…

She had entered a dream-like state, not seeing the dead bodies, but concentrating on the work she had to do.

The huge clock decorating the ballroom gave twelve chimes, and Elsa looked up. It was only midnight, the start of a new year, a new dawn, and what a bloody dawn it was…

She swayed on the spot, and Jack caught her, looking half-amused, half-worried.

"You have to go to bed, Snowflake," he said, gently.

"No," she mumbled "I- have to help-"

"You've helped plenty, and you're going to end up killing someone. Come on."

Incapable of resisting the pull of his arms or finding more arguments, Elsa walked towards the staircase, apologizing profusely to anyone who would listen as Jack continued to forcefully pull her up, though no-one could see that but Eugene. They crossed corridors and mounted two other staircases, when Elsa saw Jack pulling open the door of her bedroom. Dimly, she told him to turn around, and slid out of her dress, that looked like it had been rolled repeatedly in a bucket of blood and mud, and wriggled into her usual white nightgown. She walked to her bed, and collapsed onto it. From the corner of her eye, she saw Jack approach the ruined ice dress.

"You like it?" she said sleepily.

"I've never seen ice so… feminine," he said, and she snorted.

"What, did you think ice powers was a man thing?" she asked, teasing, and Jack turned to her. Elsa realized that her nightgown was raised to above her knees, crumpled under her. She had laid down over the covers, and there was no way of hiding from Jack's gaze, as he took her in.

She didn't want to, anyway.

Slowly, he straightened up, the capelet of the dress sliding from his grasp. He walked towards her, and gently set down his staff next to the bed, before crawling onto it.

"Jack," she said not even knowing what she was going to say, and she was half-relieved, half-disappointed to see that he was only laying down beside her, on his back, his arm twisting under his head. His other arm stretched out to her, an invitation and a choice. He was watching her intently, and there was so, so much in that gaze…

"I've been thinking," she said, and he groaned.

"If this is about us again, then I think you've been overthinking it way too much."

"It's not- well, it is, but-"

"Nope. I'm not listening to this, I'm too tired. If you're going to try and make me leave again, do us all a favour and don't waste your time-"

"That's not what I was going to say!" she said angrily, and found that her exhaustion had subsided, replaced by frustration at Jack.

"Okay, Snowflake, what _were_ you going to say, then?" he said, his tone coated with mock-patience. She restrained herself from giving him a punch in the stomach.

"I was going to say that seeing as war is coming, maybe we should-"

"Not listeniiiiiiiing," chanted Jack, and Elsa saw that he had stuck a finger inside each of his ears.

"Will you _listen_?!" she said, half-exasperated, half-amused.

"What was that?" he said, and she rolled on him, sitting on him, forcing his hands out of his ears as she pinned them on the bed, though she knew that if he had really wanted to stop her, he could have.

"LISTEN, you pain-in-the-ass Winter Spirit!" she said, and he looked up at her face, grinning. Her hair, free of the braid she'd worn to the ball, fell around her face like curtains, tickling Jack's face. "I'm not telling you to go away!"

"Oh good," said Jack, his voice coated with irony, "Seeing as that worked so well last time."

"I'm just saying," she said, ignoring his comment, still pinning him to the bed. "That war is coming, emotions are going to run high, and we're going to feel like we have to rush things, and I don't think we should get carried away. Yet."

Jack looked at her, comprehension dawning on his face.

"Are you talking about _sex_?" he said, grinning, and she felt herself blushing furiously. "You _were_!" he cried, "You just can't keep your hands off me, can you?"

"Jack!" she cried, infuriated. "I'm just saying that despite our feelings for each other, the truth is we met a month ago-" she was cut short by Jack raising himself into a sitting position so suddenly that she nearly toppled off him, and kissed her. She leant into the kiss, her feet intertwining behind his back. She grabbed his face in her hands, opening her mouth, letting him in- her core tightened in all the right places as she felt her senses awaken-

Then, to her great dismay, he broke away, and slumped back onto the cushions, with her still sitting on him.

"Sorry," he said. "Got _carried away_. You were saying that we had feelings for each other."

She smacked him playfully on the chest.

"I am trying to talk seriously, Jack! Can't you listen for a minute? Please?"

"Fine," he sighed, rolling his eyes, and made a zipping motion over his mouth as he looked at her, an air of fake-seriousness around his features.

"Thank you," she said. "So, despite our feelings for each other, we only met a month ago-"

"During which we spent every waking hour together," he objected, but quickly shut up at the glare she shot him. "Sorry," he mumbled, and stilled again.

"And a war's starting, so our emotions are going to be running really high, right? So our feelings are going to intensify, if we keep this going-"

" _If_?" said Jack, outraged.

"Oh, all right, _seeing_ as we're going to keep this going (Elsa ignored the huge grin that split across Jack's face) so I was thinking that we should probably do this properly. Because otherwise we're probably going to rush into things, and I don't want to mess this up."

"Yeah, that would be a serious problem," he said seriously.

"So, I was thinking that we should probably restrain from kissing in public, because I read somewhere that that would be really intensifying for our feelings."

"You _read_ \- (he interrupted himself at Elsa's sharp look)- Yeah, I mean, sounds reasonable-"

"And be really professional when we're having discussions- like no touching, no holding hands, no hand on the waist-"

" _What_?" Elsa shot him a look, and he shut up again, "I mean, sure, sounds like a good plan to stop ourselves from doing anything a certain person I know would qualify as 'getting carried away', if we're not even _touching_ -"

"Of course we can touch, just not in public! And we should probably restrain ourselves in here, too-"

"Sounds like a _great_ plan," said Jack, rolling his eyes, "Absolutely marvellous."

"I'm not saying you can't kiss me or anything, just that we have to be very careful about how we're going to express our feelings from now on. We're taking it slow."

"Sure," said Jack, his tone heavy with irony, "This is all very sensible. Extremely practical and logical."

"You think so?" she said, beaming.

"Of course, of course, we're not getting carried away-"

And then, he sat up suddenly again, but this time he grabbed her back and rolled over, so that she was now underneath him, and he was above her, and he was kissing her, and every thought of caution was thrown to the wind as she wrapped her legs around his mid-riff, pulling him closer. He broke away a little, his breath tickling her face. He looked at her, grinning. After a moment, she groaned, giving in.

"Okay," she said. "Never mind."

"Great," he said roughly, and bent, kissing her deeply and she relished every place his body touched hers, his tongue in her mouth. She was only vaguely away that her nightgown was around her waist, her silk underwear plainly revealed. Jack's hand gently, but surely, caressed her leg with one, cold finger, and she moaned a little at the touch, as his hand raised higher on her thigh. His mouth crashed into hers, as if to consume the sound, his hand raising higher, the other next to her head, relying on it so as not to crush her. His hand passed her waist, taking a little more time that it could have over the silk, and made circles on her stomach. Her back arched as his hand seemed to slowly lower itself back towards her waist- so low, that it touched the band of her underthing,and she didn't know if she wanted him to stop or go on-

Then, he pulled his hand away, and pulled his mouth away, and she groaned in protest as he pulled her to him.

"Why did you stop?" she said, feeling alive, aroused-

"I think you're right, about taking it slow. Though I plan to kiss you in public, your measures were a _tiny_ bit extreme, I don't think we should- um- get _carried away_ yet."

Her cheeks reddened, and she felt so embarrassed to have let him go that far- but it had felt so wonderful, and it wasn't like they'd strictly done anything-

He seemed to know what she was thinking, however.

"I really want to, you know," he said and Elsa was glad that he couldn't see her blush in the darkness, "but you're right. We can't mess this up. And though you're very- I don't know how to put this- tempting? – I really, _really_ don't want to mess this up."

"Me neither," she said quietly, still feeling an odd shyness creeping on her.

"So," he coughed, and Elsa was glad to detect absolutely no hint of embarrassment in his voice, "we're going to take it slow. We're doing this properly. I'm going to take my time."

She blushed, but this time it was not from embarrassment.

"We should sleep," he said softly, and Elsa curled up beside him, his arm around her as she laid her head on his chest. She'd thought that she was farther from sleeping than she had ever been in her life, and it was a long time before her heartbeat slowed, her eyes drooping, the exhaustion that had disappeared temporarily rushing back. When she was just on the edge of sleep, she felt Jack move and she tightened her hold on him. He laughed quietly.

"Not going anywhere, Snowflake," he said, and she felt his hand pulling her nightgown down over her thighs. He settled back down, and Elsa threw him a questioning look. "It was too distracting," he explained, grinning, and miraculously, exhausted as she was, she found that she could still blush with pleasure.

She curled up again, listening to the soothing pattern of his breaths, and she slipped into sleep.

…

The morning sun came in in her room, and Rapunzel groaned, covering her face with her pillow. Any moment now, Eugene would get up and draw the curtains back properly and would badger her to get up-

Automatically, her hand reached over to Eugene's side of the bed, trying to keep him in bed a little longer, because _come on Eugene, ten minutes is not going to change much_ , but she found it empty, her hand grasping only cold sheets. Her eyes flew open and she sat up, breathing quickly. The sunlight revealed a small yet luxurious bedroom, that was completely unfamiliar to her. The battle, her pretence of being Anna, her short but completely terrifying talk with Pitch- it all came rushing back.

Trying hard to stay calm, she looked around her. She was in the middle of an enormous four-poster bed, though the blue curtains were drawn back. Her body sank into the enormous mattress, and the cushions were plump behind her, the shape of her head still there. It was, all in all, extremely comfortable; and that was what worried her.

She let her feet drop to the floor, and was met by a fluffy white carpet, that contrasted with the dark wooden floor-boards. She realized she was no longer in her evening gown, but in a silk blue nightgown, short-sleeved and reaching her feet.

Rapunzel decided not to dwell on who had changed her into the nightgown.

She looked around her. There was a white, wooden desk, and upon it was a neatly stashed pile of paper, with a feather quill and a bottle of ink. Frowning slightly, she turned on the spot. There was a huge wardrobe, made out of the same white wood as the desk. She crossed the room and swung it open, revealing rows and rows of shoes and dresses. Now completely confused, she gaped slightly at the room around her. The ceiling was high above her, and Rapunzel felt a thrill that had nothing to do with fear.

Then, as if she'd been planning it all along, she rushed to the huge window. She looked out of it; a sumptuous garden rolled out underneath her, giggling girls in beautiful silk dresses and stern, grown men walking around it. A dazzling, warm sun shone in a cloudless sky, the sight so different from Arendelle's snowy landscapes, that she'd grown used to in the time she'd been there. She tried to open the window, and found- with a rush of disappointment, though she'd been half-expecting it- that it was locked. Anyway, the ground was far below her, too far to attempt jumping down to escape.

She looked around the room. It was spotless, as if it had been inhabited for a while, but still cleaned and looked after. The grate was empty of a fire, but the atmosphere was still pleasantly warm. She looked around wildly for a weapon. She rushed to the fireplace, searching for a poker, anything, but there was nothing there. The fireplace, obviously, was next to nearly unused.

She felt a rising panic, as she saw that nothing in the room could help her defend herself, and out of sheer desperation she took the quill from the desk. She'd heard about someone killing someone using a pen, that they had plunged into an artery in the victim's throat. Though she wouldn't be aiming to kill, the thought comforted her a little.

 _Think Rapunzel,_ she said, turning around on herself again, _Think._

She went to the door, and tried it; of course, it was locked shut. Rapunzel could no longer ignore her panic as she looked around the room, completely trapped. It was like being locked in that tower all over again, but this time Eugene wouldn't find her-

 _Eugene._

She repeated her husband's name over and over in her head, until she was soothed. She wasn't in the tower, Gothel was dead, she would find a way out of this place.

Okay, she thought. So, I'm at the Southern Isles. Imprisoned, but they hopefully don't intend on harming me, since I didn't wake up in a cell.

She breathed in, out, in, out. She would be fine. She would get out.

She heard the lock click, and the door creaked open, and her temporary sense of safety and comfort vanished as she spun to face the intruder, tightening her hold on the quill. Where she had expected the red-head, or even Pitch, she saw a rather handsome man, with dark hair and stunning midnight blue eyes.

"Princess Rapunzel?" he said, in what was a some-what reassuring voice. She backed away, tightening her hold on the quill. "Are you Princess Rapunzel?"

"Where am I?" she asked sharply, choosing not to answer.

"The Summer Palace," said the servant- because that was what she supposed he was- automatically.

"Where is Pitch?" she asked, and the servant looked around quickly, as if afraid of being over-heard. He entered the room, closing the door behind her with a click.

"I'm Emile Wyatt, and though I don't have his name, I was born of Romuald Yliria," said the boy, and the way he said it made Rapunzel think that the words were supposed to mean something to her. "I'm a bastard."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't understand."

"A bastard is a child that is the result of a sexual relationship not within the confines of marriage-"

"I know what a bastard is!" snapped Rapunzel. "I just don't know what I'm supposed to- I don't know any Yliria-"

"You don't?" he asked, bewildered. "Lea said you did."

"Lea?"

"My sister," he explained, "Eleanor Yliria. Well, technically, half-sister, but-"

"You're the Queen's brother?" Rapunzel asked, her heart skipping a beat. Now that she knew, she could see the resemblance- though their eyes and hair were different, there was something familiar about his face.

"Half-sister, by blood, but she is my true sister in all ways," he said. "And she's no longer Queen, though the King doesn't know that yet."

"I still don't know what you mean."

"My sister sent me a letter yesterday evening, brought by a snowy-white bird, telling me to look out for any sign of Princess Rapunzel, and to try to keep you safe. And to tell you not to worry, help is on the way."

Rapunzel had seldom seen the Queen of the Southern Isles, only vaguely recalling that her name was Eleanor. She had not spent a lot of time with her in the castle, seeing as she had acted as a spy, and had only met her properly that night- that seemed so long ago now- at the Queens Arms.

"I must go," said Emile quickly. "Soon, they're going to come, to prepare you."

"Who? What are they going to do with me?"

"I don't think they plan on harming you," said Emile, backing away towards the door, "But be on your guard. You have friends here, at court."

He left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Rapunzel still holding the quill tightly, though now she knew that she wasn't truly alone in this hostile place; it was a comfort.

But it didn't change much. She was still imprisoned, far from her husband and her family, in enemy territory…

 _Help is on the way._

She wasn't going to wait for help.


	18. Golden Cages and Graveyards

**_Note:_** _I'm so sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Hope you'll forgive me; and a massive thanks to all of you! You really don't know what all the support means to me. On a side-note, when I'm talking about the temperature in this chapter, I'm reasoning in degrees celsius! There, I hope you enjoy it, and promise to be faster for the next chapter! (That's what they all say, right?) And please, please give me feedback on it; I love to know what you guys think! And of course, constructive critisicm is always welcome. Love you all!_

 **Chapter 18: Golden Cages and Graveyards**

Rapunzel had bathed, dressed in a silk green dress that matched her eyes, paced her room, looked everywhere for a book (there wasn't one), observed the view the window offered her, watched the seconds tick by agonizingly slowly on the clock, and had even started sketching a flower on one of the parchments. She was too bored to even be afraid. Nothing had happened since Eleanor's brother had come to see her, early this morning.

She was going mad, locked up in her golden cage.

It wasn't until the middle of the afternoon that finally, the lock of the door turned.

She looked around quickly, grabbing the quill that she still intended to use as a weapon if need be, though she doubted its efficacy.

In the entryway was the red-head she'd seen only yesterday night, on her arrival to this sordid place, before everything had gone black.

"Hello," he said simply, as if they were old acquaintances, and were about to enjoy a good chat about what was new. She gaped at him.

" _Hello_?" she choked disbelievingly. The Prince looked at her from the doorway, and she saw his gaze drop to the quill she was still gripping tightly in her hand.

"I was busy this morning," he said as if she'd asked, "Or I would have come sooner."

"Come soo- come for what?" she asked a little aggressively, perhaps a shade more than what was wise; this was her jailer, she thought. She mustn't let her guard down. Mustn't let go of the quill, though what good that would do-

If _only_ she had a frying pan.

Well, if he was planning on dragging her to dark dungeons to torture her, she wouldn't go down without a fight. And she sure as hell wouldn't betray any secrets.

The redhead seemed to be following her train of thought.

"You have nothing to fear from me," he said quietly, still standing quietly in the doorway. "I don't intend on doing you any harm."

"Your friend might," she pointed out, and she shivered; the dark, cruel eyes of Pitch still haunted her. To her surprise, he laughed dryly. The sound was hollow, without any real amusement.

"He's not my friend," he stated matter-of-factly.

She didn't answer, was barely listening to him; she shifted slowly, trying to see what was beyond him. She saw the glimpse of a long corridor, that seemed to be engulfed in light, shining so brightly it hurt her eyes.

"Will you join me?"

She snapped back to attention.

"Join you?" she repeated blankly.

"Yes. I'm going to give you a tour of the palace," he explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"A tour?" she said again, not believing her ears.

"Yes," he said, before adding; "A tour is when you show a person around-"

"I know what a _tour_ is," she snapped. First a bastard, now a tour. Did these people think she was an idiot?

"Well…" he continued, and Rapunzel was stunned to see that he looked rather sheepish, "Will you?"

A tour. With the enemy.

A tour. Within her prison.

A tour, that would show her every crack, every weakness, every chance of escape…

"Of course," she said in an airy voice she didn't recognize. "I would be delighted."

…

"I'm sure she's being tortured," said Eugene, as he paced back and forth. "I'm sure they're butchering her-"

"Jesus Christ, Eugene-"

"They'll be ripping her from limb to limb-"

"SHUT UP!" roared Anna, and everyone jumped. She was red with anger, as she glared furiously at Eugene. "Stop saying those horrible things, or so help me God, you'll be the one being ripped from limb to limb you son of a-"

"That's ENOUGH," interrupted Elsa. "Fighting amongst ourselves will do nothing to help Rapunzel."

"Sitting here will do nothing either!" snapped Eugene.

"Actually, if we sat and freaking _planned_ something, it would!" retorted Anna. They stood, at either end of the Council table, glaring at each other. Jack was watching, none of his usual amusement around him.

"How can you be so calm?" asked Eugene, and his voice cracked. "How can you even think of planning? Just take an army and go-"

"We would be destroyed," said Elsa, "And you will be no help to Rapunzel dead-"

"IT IS MY DUTY TO GO, SHE IS MY WIFE-"

"AND SHE IS OUR COUSIN!" Elsa screamed at him. "DON'T YOU THINK WE UNDERSTAND?" She took a shaky breath, and Jack had to consciously refrain from going to her. "Don't you think, if there was one chance, as small as it was, that we could win, with our small army in enemy territory- don't you think I would give the order to go? Don't you think I'd kill, without remorse, every man who stood in my way?"

Eugene stared at her for another second, and Jack thought that he was going to scream back; but Elsa's icy promise was hanging in the air, her face as cold as stone. Slowly, Eugene sat back down, and Jack saw that he was trembling. From anger at Elsa and Anna, or fear for Rapunzel, he didn't know; but seeing him in this state tore at his heart.

Elsa seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as she strode to him quickly, and swung her arms around his neck. Jack saw Eugene's startled look, before he wrapped his arms around her back.

"Rapunzel is my blood," Elsa said passionately, fire shining in her eyes as she pulled back from him to look him in the eyes, her hair floating around her face like a halo, "And I will never, _ever,_ abandon blood."

Eugene nodded slowly, before sitting back down, and Jack saw that his eyes were red, and a tear rolled down, sliding down his cheek. He didn't attempt to brush it away, his eyes empty of anything as his gaze concentrated on his tightly-clasped hands.

Anna sat back down too. Eleanor was staring at Eugene, as she tightly held Gregory's hand. Jack was leaning against the wall, holding loosely his staff as he watched them. He'd woken up to an empty bed; Elsa hadn't woken him up, but he'd found her quickly. She'd been here, with the Council members; she hadn't put on any makeup, her hair was messy, falling around her face like a halo…

And she was wearing pants.

 _Pants._

He'd never seen her in pants. They were white, and clung to her legs and hips; revealing so much more of the outline of her graceful body that any dress he'd seen her wear. Long, black boots were at her feet, and a white vest hid what looked like a blue shirt, that matched perfectly with her eyes.

She looked fiercely beautiful, and he couldn't help but curse himself for stopping what they'd started last night.

But all thought of that wonderful reprieve from all that was going on had disappeared when his eyes had fallen on the rest of the people that were in the Council Room. Anna, looking like she'd barely slept; Kristoff wasn't there, an absence felt by everybody; Eleanor and Gregory, looking tired and worried, all trace of yesterday's new-found happiness gone; and finally Eugene, who looked like the whole world had collapsed around him.

Which was, in a way, the case.

"Look," said Anna, "If we send a raven to Corona- warn the King and Queen, they would send help-"

"I've sent my fastest rider," Elsa interceded. "Sending a raven would be too risky. They can be intercepted, stopped, read-"

"But riders are slower," croaked Eugene, and he didn't look quite as destroyed anymore. "He won't ride fast across a sea."

"At least we're sure that the message will be received," Elsa said quietly, and Jack saw in the way she said it how painful it must have been to make the choice, between speed and safety. He couldn't help but want to snap at Eugene before he would make Elsa feel even more guilty about her choice.

"It was the right choice," said Anna, and Jack sent her a grateful look.

 _Bless her_ , he thought. Elsa straightened, as if her sister's approval had made her more determined.

At that precise moment, the doors swung open, and a guard entered, dragging behind him a brown-haired girl, writhing violently to escape his grip.

"I've found her, your Grace," said the guard.

"Unhand her immediately," Elsa ordered, and the guard let her go, so suddenly that Isabel fell backwards on the floor. She immediately sprang to her feet again, sending a dark look to the guard, who didn't look like he was sorry at all.

"Leave," Elsa said dryly, and the guard did so, shutting the double-doors behind him. She turned back to Isabel, still dressed in a dirty, bloody servants' uniforms. Jack immediately deduced that she'd been in the ballroom when the attack had started; she'd even probably, seeing her exhausted air, helped tend to the wounded after the battle.

"Are you alright?" asked Elsa kindly, and Isabel's wide, brown eyes fixed on the Queen's blue ones. She didn't respond, but her answer was clear.

"I'm sorry," breathed Elsa, "That was a stupid question."

"Yes, it was," Isabel answered, surprising everyone. Isabel had always been kind, willing to do the Queen's bidding, to help her; now, they stood before a dark shadow of the girl they'd sat across at the Queen's Arms. Jack saw that the others were looking nervously at the Queen and the servant. But Elsa didn't shout. She didn't even blink. Instead, she smiled, a little sadly.

"Do you blame me for what happened?" she whispered, so that they barely heard her.

"No," said Isabel, answering too quickly for it to be sincere.

"It's okay," said Elsa, her voice back to normal volume. "I do too."

Jack's feet picked up from the ground and he flew across the room so quickly that Eugene jumped. He landed next to Elsa, barely a foot away; but didn't touch her. Just standing quietly. And he knew she knew that if she wanted, if she needed- she could take his hand, lean against him- one word, and they'd be flying halfway across Europe the next second-

"How you must hate me," she continued, under Isabel's stunned gaze, "Responsible for Katie's death. And now… Now, responsible for this."

Isabel shook her head, all trace of disrespect and contempt gone from her features.

"I don't hate you," she said softly, and for a moment they all felt like they were intruding on something, "You're my Queen. I trust you. I don't hate you. I don't hate you."

Elsa's eyes shone with tears as she stepped towards Isabel, lifting her arms towards her. They both grabbed the other's hands, their fingers intertwining.

"It was Mary," said Isabel quickly, as if she was scared of changing her mind, "She- she disappeared in black sand- she didn't even say goodbye-"

"I know," whispered Elsa, just loud enough for them to hear. "I know."

"I didn't know," continued Isabel, tears now spilling down her cheeks. "I tried to stop her, when I saw her open that door- the army-"

"It's okay. I should have known what Mary would do."

"Don't think too harshly of her. She loved Katie- truly loved her. She thought it was your fault that she died. She hates royals, but hates especially you since Katie's death. Since you came to her funeral."

Jack thought back to Mary's unwillingness at the Queen's Arms, how every word she said seemed to pain her… They'd been stupid to ignore the signs.

"Well, at least now we know how they got smuggled in," stated Anna without emotion. She seemed different; as if a light had gone out inside her. She was pale, her face drawn. She looked sickly, as if something was paining her.

"Are you alright?" he frowned, concerned. Immediately, Elsa whipper her head around, her eyes narrowing on her sister. Anna looked at Jack, her lips pursed.

"Answer him, Anna," Elsa said. Gregory, Eleanor, and Isabel looked around, confused.

"I'm fine," Anna answered, though she looked the opposite of fine. Colour was quickly draining out of her face, and Jack saw her sway on the spot. Instantly, he lurched forwards, dropping his staff, catching her. He saw Anna look down at her dress, and he followed her gaze, just as Elsa gasped in horror.

Blood was gushing down her legs.

"The baby-" gasped Anna.

"But that's not possible- it's too early!" Elsa shouted, as she ran towards her sister, wrapping her arm around one side of her, as Jack held the other. He was looking at Anna's face when her eyes rolled back into her skull, and she fainted.

…

"She'll be alright," said the physician to Elsa, as Jack stood next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Her hands were clasped together.

"And the baby?" she asked, barely breathing. If Anna had a miscarriage… Elsa knew it would destroy her.

"It is too early to say, your Grace," sighed the doctor, as he glanced back at Anna's sleeping form. "I think the stress of the battle took its toll on the princess's pregnancy."

Of course, she cursed to herself, how could she not have thought of asking Anna to be examined- maybe they could have stopped it-

"She hasn't lost the baby, your Grace," said the physician softly, apparently reading her distress. "And she won't, if we're very careful from now on. She must stay in bed at all times, or at worst in a rolling chair. What she eats must be clearly supervised. It is vital that she be completely relaxed, without cause to be anxious at any times."

Elsa nodded, grateful for Jack's arm's pressure around her. She thought she might have fainted too, if not for his support. She looked down at her hands, noticing that they were trembling.

"Of course," she murmured. "Anything else?"

The doctor shook his head.

"Not for now," he said, "And though I know your Grace may want to stay with your sister-"

"She needs quiet and rest," finished Elsa. "I understand."

They were accompanied to the door by the doctor, who closed the door behind them. The corridor was dark, lighted by candles; dark clouds twirled outside the windows, and you could hear the howling of the wind from inside.

She looked down at her hands. They were drenched with Anna's blood.

Her breathing became rapid, as her hands started trembling.

"She'll be alright," Jack whispered, his lips grazing her ear. Those words were her undoing, and she sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands, smearing blood all over her cheeks as she gasped out sobs. She felt Jack's arms pull her to him.

"How can I win this?" she asked in between sobs. "How can I do it? Rapunzel's gone, Kristoff's hurt, Anna and the baby are in mortal danger… I can't do it alone."

"You're not alone," he whispered, "You've got me. You'll always have me."

The words only made her sob harder, and Jack was kissing her, ignoring the tears as he cupped her face in his hands. "Anna will be alright," he repeated, his mouth forming the words against hers.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, "I must look hideous right now."

"Snowflake, we both know I have enough good looks for the both of us," he grinned, and she laughed. He helped her up, and she hugged him. She didn't remember how her life had been without him in it, but she had no wish to return to it.

"I have to go somewhere," she said suddenly, wiping her face with her sleeve, smearing her white vest.

"Okay," he said, "Where are we going?"

She smiled. _We._ She liked that word.

"Riding."

…

Jack flew above her, as she raced across the countryside. She'd gone to the stables, and asked for her horse. The stable-boy had brought her a magnificent black mare, with a white spot on her head. The mare had gotten all excited when she'd seen Elsa; Elsa had laughed and gone to her.

"I'm sorry, Aztec," she'd laughed. "I haven't gone out riding in a while," she explained to Jack.

A few seconds later, Elsa had pulled herself to the saddle, swinging a leg over the horse's side, so that she had one on either side.

They'd left the castle, Jack still not knowing where they were going, and Elsa had gained speed as they'd left the city. She was going as fast as him, the hooves of Aztec slamming against the path's earth, Elsa's long, platinum blonde hair flying behind her.

"We could have flown, you know!" he shouted at her above the whistling of the wind. He was flying next to her, in a horizontal position, a hand in his front pocket.

"I was scared we'd miss something!" she shouted back. He frowned in confusion, before Aztec jumped over a particularly large rock. He put on a burst of speed to catch up with them. She was bent down, holding onto Aztec's black mane, but she turned her face to look at him, her stunning blue eyes meeting his, her cheeks flushed with the wind.

"Such a show-off!" she grinned, and he winked. "You do know Aztec could beat you without even trying?"

"Yeah, right," he said, rolling his eyes mockingly. Elsa's eyebrows raised, a challenging expression on her face. She lifted her ankles before clapping them back down at the mare's side. Instantly, the horse sped up, going way faster than he'd estimated.

But he wasn't the Spirit of Winter for nothing.

The wind, already powerful around them, seemed to pick up, pushing him forwards. He was catching up, at their level, passing them; but when he turned back to gloat, Elsa wasn't there. She was at his level, and she passed him, taunting him with a single look. He laughed, exhilarated, the wind ruffling his hair and causing his sweat-shirt to ripple around him. Tightening his hold on his staff, he sped up, catching up with her; they were both going so fast that the landscape was nothing but a blur around them. Raindrops started falling around them, drenching them in seconds; strands of hair were now sticking to Elsa's face.

Jack saw a forest, coming closer and closer to them. Aztec galloped inside, and the trees covered them, the path now muddy and wet. Elsa had pulled on the reins, and the mare slowed down.

"Probably isn't wise to go that fast in the rain," she said.

"Or you're a sore loser," said Jack, grinning mischievously. She slid down from the horse, splattering him with mud as she hit the ground. The way she looked at him informed him that it was completely intentional.

"I was winning that race, Snow Spirit," she retorted, as he spat out mud.

"Sure about that?" he said, and kicked his bare foot in mud, a clump of it splattering it on her face. With one hand, she wiped away mud covering her eyes as he was bent in two with laughter at her expression. She lifted her eyebrows, a silent challenge, as she bent down and picked up mud in her bare hand, before throwing it towards him. The mud slammed into his face, so hard that he reeled back. He burst out laughing, wiping the mud off his face before launching towards her, slamming her down into the ground (though he protected her head), and rolled into the mud, ignoring her shrieks of protest. Aztec huffed at them disapprovingly.

"So, who's the winner now?" he taunted, as they both laid on the ground, him above her, his staff forgotten beside them; Elsa was shaking with laughter, and he grinned.

"Get off me!" she said, trying to push him off her, but she was laughing too hard to pose a real threat. Of course, she could have blasted him back with ice, he thought, but she didn't seem to want to.

"No," he grinned. She looked up at him, her laughter fading gradually. Raindrops were pounding around them, but neither could feel the cold. He felt his pulse quicken, as he looked down at her, feeling every one of her curves against his body. She didn't blink, didn't drop her gaze, but he saw her raise her hands, and wrap them around his neck, pulling him to her.

And then they were kissing, covered in mud and completely drenched, his wet hair falling over his eyes, but he didn't care because she was there, and the feel of her would consume him, as he threw himself into the kiss. He couldn't think of anything else, couldn't imagine ever being with someone else in that moment. It seemed like his whole life had led him to this precise moment; kissing the girl born of ice and snow in the mud and rain, not giving a shit about anything else. He felt her cold hands slide under his sweatshirt and onto his bare skin, and he kissed her harder, as if they would die tomorrow and this would be the last time they would ever kiss-

"Stop," he murmured, and her hands instantly stilled.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, and he barely heard her over the pounding of the rain. She looked at him curiously, and she was so beautiful, muddy and soaked-

"If we don't stop now," he breathed, his gaze concentrating on her lips, swollen by his kisses, "I don't think I'll be able to stop later."

"So what?" she said, smiling, and brought her lips back to his. He allowed himself to respond for a second more, before wrenching away from her.

"So, Elsa, I don't intend on making love to you covered in mud and watched by a horse."

"She's a _mare_ ," she contradicted him, though blood had rushed to her cheeks. He laughed, and pecked her lips, before rolling off her. He extended a hand to help her up, which she took, and hoisted her up.

"Sorry, Snowflake. Maybe next time you'll manage to seduce me."

He ducked as another ball of mud swept dangerously close to his ear, and he laughed at her outraged expression, before pulling her to him by the waist, and kissing her again. Though he let go of her fairly quickly.

"So, was that your goal; take me into isolated woods to take advantage of me?"

"I don't know, did it work?" she said mischievously, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

"Nearly," he laughed, flicking her nose. "But seriously though?"

She sobered up.

"I want to check that the villages around Arendelle are intact. If the Southerns came- I just hope they didn't kill anyone. But if they didn't- I mean, news that a huge army of Southerns was marching towards the royal castle would have reached me, right?"

"Right. Well, better get back on your horse then," he said, and he helped her up, as she hoisted herself up onto Aztec. They took off again, Jack following the mare, feeling as if his whole body was still tingling with desire.

…

The sun was beginning to set over the lush, green gardens of the Summer Palace. Rapunzel looked out her open window, letting a soft breeze play over her face and hair, trying to soak in the last rays of sunlight. It was the beginning of January, and it was at least thirty degrees out. She turned around, back to her empty room. She was locked inside once again, and she had next to no progress since that morning. Hans (as he'd informed her it was his name, and she'd tried and hopefully succeeded to hide what the name meant to her, her thoughts flitting back to her cousin) had shown her parts of the palace; they'd walked in the gardens, and Rapunzel had been able to see that they were surrounded by a tall stone wall, that looked impenetrable, from the outside or inside. The only exit was the tall gate, closed by an equally imposing spiked gate; Hans had even shown her how nobody could exit or enter the palace without intense supervision by the guards.

She'd quickly realized the tour wasn't a tour at all, but rather a demonstration of force, to show her that her future attempts to escape would be futile and ridiculous.

But still, Hans had been surprisingly polite. He'd seemed nearly sorry at times, and she'd noticed how he carefully avoided her gaze. And despite all that her cousins had told her… she could see it. She could see something inside him, that could be reached. Maybe all was not lost for him.

It had been with relief that she'd realized that Pitch wasn't here. She just hoped he wasn't in Arendelle, causing more chaos.

And, though she was no closer to escaping than this morning, there was a definite improvement; Hans had provided her, after a heated argument about if Romeo and Juliet would have kept on loving each other if the Montagues and the Capulets had forgiven each other, and the lure of forbidden love had faded, with piles of Shakespeare's works. There was _Hamlet_ and _Macbeth_ , _A Midsummer's Night Dream_ , and her personal favourite- _Antony and Cleopatra_.

She looked at the last rays of sunlight as they disappeared over the horizon, before slipping out of her dress. She always slept naked when it was hot, but she felt bare and unprotected with Eugene not with her. She smiled at the memory of his stunned expression when she'd first told him that she slept naked in summer.

Though he hadn't waited too long before joining in the tradition.

The smile disappeared as fast as it had appeared, Eugene's absence weighing on her like a dark cloud following her every step. She slipped inside a blue nightgown, and slipped under the thin white sheet of her bed, grabbing _Antony and Cleopatra,_ her short brown locks falling around her face. Though her eyes skimmed over the letters, the words didn't wash over her as they usually did. Her thoughts kept going back to Eugene, the pain of his absence in her chest.

She looked down at the page.

Suddenly, as if she'd known she would do it all along, she sprang up from the bed, and ran to the desk, slamming _Antony and Cleopatra_ onto her desk. She grabbed her quill, and agitated herself over the parchment. She then rushed to the window, and whistled; it was a long, sorrowed sound that echoed across miles and miles. She waited, watching the horizon.

All of a sudden, her whistle seemed to be repeated a thousand times over, the woods that she could see beyond the palace walls becoming alive with the bird call.

She waited, breathless, watching the dark night sky. The stars were out, now, and the moon seemed to glow over the landscape.

Less than ten minutes ago, she saw a brilliantly white bird swoop down from the heavens, coming right at her. The owl perched itself on her shoulder, and clipped her ear with his beak gently. She laughed breathily in relief.

She looked behind her nervously, as if Pitch or Hans or guards would come running inside her chambers.

"Here," she said softly to the owl, extending the manuscript towards him, and he took it in his beak. "Take it to Eugene, Ghost."

The owl's eyes seemed to glow with intelligence and understanding, before it stretched its wings and took off from her shoulder. She watched it go until he disappeared out of sight, before reluctantly closing the window again, and turning back to her bed.

Oh well, she thought, _Macbeth_ was good too.

…

Aztec slowed down, as Elsa slid down the horse's side without waiting for the horse to come to a complete halt. She ran towards the ruins of the village, Jack close behind her. She came to a halt, and she felt as if there was no more air around her, as if she couldn't breathe, because how could she carry on breathing when so many-

Cottages were completely destroyed, their walls black with soot, the roofs caved in. Some were still on fire. Children, elders, adults, all alike all laid dead on the floor.

"My God," she heard Jack say in a low voice, as horrified as she was. She bent down on her knees, picking up something from the ground before standing up again. She brushed soot off the doll. Not far, she saw what looked like a soccer ball, next to a girl's corpse. She looked six years old at most.

Katie's death had terrified her. She still dreamed of the small, blond girl, that died in her arms.

The ballroom massacre had racked her with guilt and horror.

But all of those deaths, all that she had seen… it was war. It was horrifying, it was terrible, it would leave its mark on her forever more, as it should. People, _innocent_ people, had died, their lives cut short because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, because they had heard things they shouldn't have… but it had not been for something. It could not have been avoided.

But as she stared around, her eyes completely dry, at the village that was now a graveyard, she thought to herself; this wasn't war. These people were killed for sport.

That girl was burned for amusement.

All those lives taken away for nothing.

She'd been terrified at Katie's death. She'd been horrified at yesterday's battle.

But this…

She only felt icy, cold, raging fury. A hatred she hadn't even known could exist erupted inside her.

She turned back to Jack, who was watching her carefully. And she felt like in that instant, something had broken inside her. An invisible line had been crossed.

And the golden queen, covered in mud and drenched, lifted her chin.

"I'll kill them all."


	19. Fear's Imposter

_**Note:** Okayyy so first of all, sorry for the lateness of this chapter. Second of all- for those of you who read the original nineteenth chapter 'The Promised Child', FORGET YOU EVER READ IT. It was taking the story in a direction that I never wanted to take, and I admit that I was getting a little stressed out at the time it was taking me to post chapters so I rushed into something that I didn't like, and you didn't like either. So here is the nineteenth chapter, and I admit I like it muuuuch better. Please, please review, it's what's keeping this story going. Thank you to all of you for reading this far, and have a great day!_

 **Chapter 19: Fear's Imposter**

Jack looked around him, barely taking in the ruins of the village. It was a horrifying sight. In three hundred years, he hadn't ever witnessed such a thing.

Elsa was in shock, her gaze empty of any emotion as she walked past the corpse of a small boy, and the ruin of a small cottage. Long gone were the days when the Queen had screamed on seeing the corpse of a small girl. Now, steely determination led her.

"Elsa-" he tried, but his voice came out as a whisper. He cleared his throat, feeling as if he would no longer be able to breathe normally, after seeing this.

"Elsa," he called again, and she turned. She was still covered in mud, and rain had started to fall around them again. Her blonde hair, usually shining and neatly braided, spilled over her shoulders, and stuck to her face. She was beautiful in a sad, terrible way.

He walked over to her, but didn't dare touch her. He could see her already shrinking back behind her walls that he had taken so long to get beyond.

"Is this my fault?" she whispered, and he barely heard her above the pounding of the rain. Her voice cracked, and he saw her eyes fall to the body of a woman, laying with a baby in her arms.

Instinctively, he strode to her, and pulled her to him, burying his face in her hair.

"No, baby, never. This could never be your fault."

Her arms intertwined around him, and she held him close. He kissed her hair, closing his eyes, trying to block out the horror of the scene around them.

"Let's go," he murmured, and she nodded, shaking. His hand on her waist, they walked towards Aztec, waiting for them at the edge of the village.

Then, Elsa stopped in her tracks, and disentangled herself from Jack.

"What is it?" he asked, turning to look in the direction she was staring at. He gripped his staff tighter.

Was it possible that a Nightmare was still around?

"Elsa?" he asked again.

"Can you hear that?" she said, and Jack narrowed his eyes, listening intently. At first, he could hear nothing but the pounding of the rain… then, he heard it.

Someone was crying.

Elsa had already begun running towards the sound.

"Elsa!" he called, setting out at a run behind her. "Be careful! It could be a trap!"

She didn't seem to hear him, and he caught up with her just as she rounded the corner of another ruined cottage.

There, underneath a half-fallen roof, was a small girl. She had dirty blonde hair that was matted with blood, and eyes that looked like wide, blue pools. She was dressed in a dark dress that was torn to near-shreds.

"Hello," said Jack softly, approaching her and kneeling down, so that their eyes were at the same level. "What's your name?"

The girl had stopped crying, but she whimpered as Jack came closer to her, tucking her knees away from him. At least that meant she could see him. He couldn't imagine what she'd seen, how much she'd lost… and she was six years old, at most.

"I'm Jack Frost," he said in a soothing voice. He twirled his hand slowly, and an icy bunny appeared out of thin air, and bounded around the girl's head. "What's your name?" he repeated.

She was staring at the ice bunny, and she looked calmer. Finally, she turned around to look at him.

"Lucinda," she said.

"Hello, Lucinda," he said, smiling. "This is my friend, Elsa."

Elsa bent down on her knees as well, smiling kindly.

"We're not here to hurt you, Lucinda," she said softly, and Jack saw that at once, the girl seemed to relax a little. "We've come to bring you somewhere safe."

Slowly, she extended a hand towards Lucinda, but the girl didn't take it at once.

"Come on, Lucinda," she urged urgently, and Jack knew that she was trying to sound comforting at the same time. He saw her glance up, and he followed her gaze. It looked like the roof was about to crumble down on them.

"Hey, Lucinda," he called, and the girl's dark blue eyes fixed on him. "We're going to play a little game, okay?"

The girl nodded at the same time a terrifying noise sounded around them. Little rocks fell on their heads. For now, they were harmless, but Jack had a feeling that the next rocks that would fall from the roof would be much heavier.

"The bunny is going to go outside, okay? Because he doesn't like the indoors," said Jack, returning his gaze to Lucinda. "You're going to have to catch him, Lucinda, can you do that?"

Lucinda nodded again, and Jack twitched his fingers. At once, the bunny leapt out towards the rain, Lucinda standing up on trembling legs to follow him- but Jack saw, from the edge of his vision, a wooden beam slide to the side, and with a huge crash, the roof began to fall on them.

With the crook of his staff, Jack pulled Lucinda towards him, grabbing her and Elsa and jumped out of the way just in time.

Elsa wrapped her arms around Lucinda as the small girl screamed, Jack covering them with his body as everything crumbled around them. He expected a stone to crash down towards them, but when he looked up, he saw that they were under a solid, ice shelter. He looked down at Elsa. Her eyes were squeezed shut.

"We'll be alright," she was murmuring in Lucinda's ear, "We'll be alright."

Finally, the deafening sound around them stopped, and Jack looked around them. Everything was destroyed, a thin coat of dust flying in the air. He got up, and helped Elsa up, who scooped Lucinda in her arms. Instantly, the icy shield above them disappeared.

"We should go," he said. She nodded, and they stepped over a pile of rocks. Lucinda's face was pressed against Elsa's chest, as the Queen tried to shield her from the sight of the fallen. If Lucinda had looked, she would have seen the corpses of her family and friends.

Finally, they reached Aztec, and Elsa handed over the small girl to Jack while she mounted. The snowflake necklace he'd given her glinted around her neck as she stretched her arms towards him again, taking back the little girl in her arms and carefully placing her in front of her. She bent to grab the reins.

"Jack, fly back to the castle, and warn-"

She stopped, biting her lip. She looked back at the destroyed village. He knew that she'd been about to say 'Anna'. He reached to grab her hand.

"I'll find Eugene," he whispered. She raised her eyes to meet his, and nodded. His feet floated of the ground, and he kissed her cheek.

He looked down at the small girl who had lost everything.

And he couldn't help but turn around one last time, watching the destroyed village.

He had been so naïve. All this time, he hadn't really understood what war would mean.

He'd thought that this was going to be a battle between him and Pitch, all along, for the girl born of ice and snow. But now, as he remembered the way she'd fought yesterday- as he saw how she looked with an icy rage at her fallen people…

This war wasn't just going to impact him and the people he loved. Everyone was in danger, even this small blonde girl, whose only wrong was to live in a village that had been in the way.

And they were all an audience, all watching a looming battle that was getting ever nearer; all watching as Pitch was coming for a Queen that needed no-one to defend her.

He looked back at Elsa's face, tear and raindrops becoming one on her cheeks. He didn't know if what he felt in that instant was love; but he felt linked to her in a way he'd never felt for anyone before.

He smiled at her, a sorry, loving smile, and she looked at him as if she understood all that he couldn't say.

He patted Aztec's mane. The wind came for him, swirling around them, his clothes flapping around him as he threw himself in the air, towards the castle.

…

Anna woke up drenched in sweat. She bolted upright, looking around her.

The last rays of the sun filled her room with an orange light, and it took a second for her eyes to adapt to the brightness.

"Hello, you," said a soft voice, and she turned her head. Kristoff, in a wheelchair, was looking at her intently.

"Kristoff! You should be in bed!" she said, pulling the covers off herself- but before she could make another movement, Kristoff had pressed her back onto the bed.

"In your dreams, Princess. You scared the shit out of me, and you're not going anywhere yet."

"What happened?" she asked, looking around nervously.

"You fainted in the Council Room," Kristoff explained, seizing her hand. "The baby-"

"Did something happen to it?" she asked, panicked, and sat up again, pushing the covers off her again and looking down at her stomach. There was still the bump that had become more familiar in the past weeks, but that didn't mean anything.

"Kristoff, did I lose our baby?" she said, her voice strangled as her eyes didn't leave her stomach.

"No, Anna, it's fine. The doctor said that everything was normal, but you're going to have to be careful from now on. Turns out battling dark forces isn't the best thing for a smooth pregnancy."

She smiled weakly at his attempt to comfort her, and she squeezed his hand as she stroked her pregnant belly absent-mindedly. He raised it to his lips and kissed her palm.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Sorry for what?" he asked, completely bewildered.

"If I lose the baby- it's my fault, all my fault, I would've killed our-"

"Stop it." Kristoff's voice was so firm that she looked up, surprised. "If you lose the baby- I would be devastated, Anna, I really would. But it wouldn't be your fault. If anything, it would be that- that Pitch's fault."

He wiped away a tear that had escaped her lashes.

"Where's Elsa?" Anna asked, suddenly realizing that it was very strange that her sister wasn't at her bedside.

"She went out with Jack," explained Kristoff, "Gone out riding. She wanted to check something, but she didn't say what. Eugene is… a little out of it, if I'm being honest."

There was a knock on the door, and Eugene opened it. His hair, usually neat, was a mess. Underneath his eyes were purple pockets that seemed to be permanently etched there.

"Hey Anna," he said, sounding exhausted. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly.

"Where have you been?" asked Kristoff.

"Helping with the injured. The ballroom is still a mess," he said, as he sat down on the other side of Anna's bed.

"That's too bad, Elsa was planning on throwing a ball," she said sarcastically.

The corner of Eugene's lips quirked up, and she studied him closely. The helpless anguish he'd shown after Rapunzel's kidnapping had been replaced by steely determination. His elbows were on his knees as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. She found herself stretching an arm towards him, and stroking his arm with her thumb. His eyes lifted to meet hers, but before she could say anything, the window burst open. Eugene jumped on his feet spinning towards the sound- to find a wind-blown Jack behind him.

"Anna!" said Jack, when he saw her. "You're awake! Are you okay?"

"Where's Elsa?" she asked anxiously, not bothering to answer him.

"She's fine, she's- well, it's a long story but- the Southern Isles have attacked villages. I think that they didn't want any witnesses to tell the Queen that they were planning-"

"Villages?" said Anna weakly. "Whole villages?"

Before Jack could say anything more, Kristoff coughed sharply.

"Jack. Anna. No stress. Remember?"

"What do you _mean_ no stress?" snapped Anna, "Do you intend on just keeping me in the dark?"

"That's not what I said-"

"Oh so what, Jack just barges in here to tell us that our people are being massacred so that there would be no witnesses to warn us about a bloodbath that occurred _in_ _my home_ , and I'm supposed to what? Meditate?"

"The doctor _did_ say that meditation would be a good idea-"

"Guys? Elsa?" interrupted Eugene, and Anna stopped talking, though she was still glaring at her husband. Jack, looking back and forth between the both of them with a very entertained expression on his face seemed to snap back to reality.

"Uh- right. There was a survivor, a little girl. Her name's Lucinda."

"That poor girl," whispered Anna, instinctively raising a hand to the bump of her stomach.

"They'll be back soon, Elsa told me to tell Eugene to make preparations for their arrival-"

"On it," said Eugene quickly, raising from his chair and nearly sprinting out of the room. Anna's eyes followed him worriedly.

"He needs to rest," she said. "I'm worried about him."

"I'll go with him," muttered Kristoff. "I'll come back soon. Love you," he added before rolling the wheels of his wheelchair backwards with his hands, and bumping into the wall. Muttering something about how he could perfectly walk and this whole thing was absolutely ridiculous, he wheeled himself out of the room. Anna brought her gaze back to Jack.

"When was the last time that _you_ slept?" she questioned suspiciously.

"I don't need as much sleep as you guys," he said quickly. She frowned.

"How come?"

He looked quizzically at her before a horrified expression flashed on his face.

"Um- well- I'm- dead?" he squeaked out the last word.

"What?" Anna repeated, half-laughing. There was an embarrassed pause, as Jack looked at her sheepishly.

"You know what, I don't even want to know," she said, and Jack sagged with relief.

That wasn't exactly true; she was burning with curiosity, but Jack really didn't seem to want to discuss the topic further. She made a mental note to ask Elsa later.

"So, I know that this is going to sound weird with everything going but- how's it going with my sister?" she raised her eyebrows, and waited expectantly.

"How's it going with your sister?" he repeated slowly. "I don't know what you mean."

"Really? Tall, blonde, blue eyes. Really pretty. Like _really_ pretty."

"Doesn't ring a bell," he said, an amused twinkle in his eyes as he sat down where Eugene had been minutes before.

"Snow powers? Queen? Did I mention she was pretty?"

Jack laughed, and she smiled.

"Yeah, it does bring someone to mind."

She smiled at him, brushing a strand of red hair from her face.

"So?"

"So what?"

"So how's it going with my sister?"

"It's going- am I even supposed to be having this conversation with you?"

Anna curled her lips sadly, looking at him from underneath her lashes.

"I'm booooored, and Elsa's too busy running around saving Arendelle to tell me any details anymore. Come on! Pleaaaaase," she said in a whiny voice, and Jack grinned, amused.

"I'll probably going to get into trouble for this," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, more than probably sweetheart," she said, her eyebrows lifting.

"And there's no way I can get out of this?"

"None."

"I could fly out of the window, you know."

"If you do, I'll run after you, and you'll have to explain to everyone how you forced me out of bed arrest."

"You are _evil_ ," he gasped dramatically, and she grinned.

"Glad you caught on. Now, _spill_."

"Elsa is going to butcher me," he groaned. She hoisted herself into a sitting position and watched him, waiting.

"So- I came back," he said. "Because I had to try to convince her again."

She nodded.

"And I think I was pretty convincing," Jack muttered. "Seeing as we kissed and everything."

"And everything, huh?" teased Anna.

"Not in _that_ way, Jesus, Anna. Isn't this grossing you out?"

"Absolutely not, I'm having the time of my life here," she grinned.

"No, really?" he said ironically, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously though. Did you do it?"

"Anna! Boundaries!"

She groaned. "You sound more and more like Elsa with every day that passes."

"I do _not_ ," he frowned. "I'm just sure I'm not supposed to be giving out details of our sex life to my girlfriend's little sister!"

"Girlfriend! You said girlfriend!" she squealed.

"I- I did?"

"Yes you _did_!"

"I'm sure I didn't."

"I'm really sure you did."

"I'm really sure I didn't."

"I'm really extra-sure you did!"

"You are exasperating," laughed Jack. "Okay, fine, maybe we did say we'd give this relationship thing a try (he was interrupted by Anna squealing excitedly before biting down on her palm) but we said we'd wait for the- body to body part."

"You can say sex, you know," interrupted Anna. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm pregnant. I'm familiar with the concept."

"I'm so relieved," said Jack sarcastically, fidgeting with his staff.

"Wait-" said Anna. "Are _you_ familiar with the concept?"

"I feel as if I'm really losing control of this situation," groaned Jack.

"You're a virgin?!" exclaimed Anna.

"No, I'm not!" protested Jack.

"Okay, how many times have you done it before?"

"I am _done_ with this conversation," he said, standing up, at the precise moment the door opened again. Elsa, looking drenched to the bone was standing in the entryway. Anna noticed how Jack seemed to instantly light up, as he grinned towards her sister.

"Anna! Kristoff and Eugene told me you were awake! How are you?" she said, striding quickly to her bedside and grabbing her hand, leaving a trail of mud behind her.

"I'm fine, don't worry," said Anna, feeling herself return back to seriousness. "Is- is that little girl alright?"

"Pretty traumatized, I think. I'm going to give her a title. A lot of nobles died last night without leaving heirs, so I can do that- she'll have a comfortable life that way, even if I can't give her back what she lost."

She sounded breathless, and Anna noticed how her eyes skipped to Jack for a second, giving him a dazzling smile.

"You know what, I should get some sleep," said Anna. "You two go help the others."

"Are you sure?" Elsa said worriedly. Anna nodded, and with another worried look, she left the room, quickly followed by Jack.

The door clicked shut behind them, and Anna turned her head to face the window. The sun had nearly disappeared, the stars and the moon already present in a dark blue sky.

"We're going to have to find you a name, aren't we?" she whispered tenderly, stroking her stomach.

…

The second the door clicked shut behind them, Elsa turned towards Jack to say something- she wasn't sure what exactly, but she wanted to make sure he was okay. He'd had such a peculiar look in his eyes before flying away. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Jack's lips had smashed into hers. Her body responded automatically, her hands lifting to cup his face as he held her tight to him by the waist.

After a few seconds, he let go of her.

"What was that about?" she laughed, feeling her flushed skin.

"I told Anna you were my girlfriend," he breathed. He looked flustered suddenly, the confidence he'd had a second before vanishing. She felt herself soften, and a wide smile rise to her face. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, throwing her a look from beneath his eyelashes. She came closer to him, and swung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his sweatshirt. He smelled of freshly fallen slow and cold winds.

"You're not mad?" he said, breaking the spell, and she pulled back to look at his face.

"Why would I be mad?" she laughed.

"I don't know just- not going too fast and all that. And I didn't ask you first."

"Ask me now then," she said, stepping back, smiling. He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat.

"It's supposed to be romantic," he said, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"Are you saying this corridor isn't an ideal romantic getaway?" she teased, and he chuckled. He came closer to her, and her breathing quickened. He had a look in his eyes that was nearly- predatory. She walked backwards, until she felt the wall against her back. He continued to come closer to her, until he was looking down into her eyes, as his hands imprisoned her to the wall. She didn't dare breathe, as she felt her body tighten.

"Elsa," he breathed, and he raised his thumb to trace her lips. She closed her eyes. There was no sound in the corridor. They were completely alone. Night had fallen, and everything was completely dark around them.

She felt his cold breath tickle her cheek, and she opened her eyes again. She met his blue eyes, and didn't break eye-contact. He knelt forwards, until his lips were touching hers. He didn't kiss her, and she had to refrain from kissing him.

"The way you convinced that little girl to follow you-" he stopped, as if he didn't know what to say. She waited. "I've never been surer of anything in my life. And I've lived for a while."

He leaned in to kiss her slowly, his thumb lifting her chin. He pulled back again.

"I want to be your boyfriend, lover, partner, whatever you want to call me. I want to be with you." He stopped, looking at her hesitantly, and she smiled, biting her lip.

"Do you?"

It was as if those words had snapped an invisible cord that had been holding her back. Their lips crashed together, and she didn't remember having held tighter anything in her life. She felt as if her heart was soaring, and she couldn't help but smile and laugh between kisses, and she could feel his lips shaping into a smile against hers every time.

"Yes," she laughed, and he grinned, pulling her in and kissing her harder but also softer- it was like nothing she had experienced before. Her whole body was tingling, and her toes curled in her mud-covered boots.

A polite cough sounded, and they broke away from each other. Kristoff, in a wheelchair, was looking at the both of them, looking bemused.

"Sorry to interrupt that," he said, grinning, but Elsa found no usual blush rising to her cheeks, no sense of embarrassment creeping on her. She bit her lip, still smiling wider than she'd ever smiled before, grabbing Jack's hand, and curling her other around his arm. He squeezed her hand, looking very amused. "You two don't joke around when you get it on, do you?"

Jack laughed, and Elsa blushed this time.

"I would say get a room, but we don't really have time for that," continued Kristoff, still grinning.

"Right," said Elsa, coughing. There was a war going on.

 _Get a grip on yourself,_ she told herself, though the words did nothing to diminish the glowing happiness that seemed to have permanently taken place in her heart.

"What's going on?" she asked him. Kristoff sobered up, his smile disappearing instantly.

"We have news from Rapunzel."

...

Elsa burst into the Council Room, and Jack saw everyone jump to their feet. There was Eugene, a few Council Members, and Eleanor. Kristoff followed them in, the wheels of his chair squeaking as he closed the door. Jack's eyes dropped to Eugene's hands; they were trembling- with relief or distress, Jack couldn't tell. But he barely noticed, concentrating instead on the book Eugene was holding as if his life depended on it.

"What's going on?" Elsa said, and though she seemed confident, he detected the hint of a deep anguish. He stepped forwards, and grabbed her hand.

Eugene looked up, and Jack saw that his eyes were red, as if he'd cried. He saw Elsa tense.

"Is she-" she stopped herself before she could finish her sentence, but Jack saw her lip tremble.

"No," Eugene croaked, and Jack had to prevent Elsa from sinking to the ground. The people who couldn't see Jack frowned, as it now looked as if Elsa was holding herself up in an impossible position.

Elsa seemed to realize this too, so she regained her balance, though she squeezed his arm.

"Well then what? Do they want a ransom?"

"Rapunzel sent us a message," Eugene explained.

"In Corona, we don't use doves to travel, we use owls. They're more efficient."

"But less easily trained," interjected one of the counsellors, and they all threw him a sharp look. He shrunk back in his chair instantly, looking like he deeply regretted having said anything at all.

"They are more intelligent- and the thing with owls is, you can call them from wherever you are."

"What do you mean?" asked Eleanor, which earned her a few dark looks from the counsellors. Manifestly, they still hadn't accepted the beautiful red-head as one of their own.

And she didn't seem to care a bit, as she raised her chin a little higher.

"If you learn how to whistle like an owl- and do a particular hooting sound, that you train your owl to recognize as its call- you just have to make that sound, and owls near to you will repeat the sound. And you'd be surprised how quickly the owl you want to call answers."

"So Rapunzel called an owl but- how did the message not get stopped?" asked Jack.

"Because she coded it," Eugene explained, though Eleanor looked confused, and Jack realized that to her, Eugene had answered to a question no one had asked. Elsa seemed to have realized it too, because she said:

"Counsellors, find somewhere else to be for a while."

The Counsellors looked at her with surprise.

"With all due respect, your Majesty, as the representatives of the Council, we have a right to say-"

"With all due respect, Counsellor, I'm the one who decides who is to be present for the delivering of sensitive information. I'm afraid I don't trust you enough for you to be present for this."

"But, your Majesty-"

"That is my final decision. Out."

There was a stupefied silence, before the sound of chairs scraping backwards filled the room. One by one, they left the room, muttering under their breaths and closing the doors behind them. Before Eugene could continue, Elsa approached Eleanor.

"You should know something," she said, as Eleanor rose from her chair as the Queen approached her.

"What is it?" asked Eleanor, looking bewildered. Eugene and Kristoff looked at each other, knowing what was coming.

"I think it's time I introduce you to someone," said Elsa, and Jack saw that she was smiling. For a second, his thoughts returned to the dark corridor they'd left behind, and the passionate embrace they'd shared.

 _Concentrate,_ he scolded himself.

"Who?" Eleanor asked curiously.

"Jack, could you- uh- do something? Like, now?"

Jack grinned towards Elsa.

"Sure, your Majesty," he winked, and swept his staff. A thin coat of frost appeared on the Council Table. Eleanor gave a little shriek and stumbled backwards into Elsa, who caught her. The frost lifted from the table and rose to the ceiling before exploding into shimmering snowflakes.

"Did you-" started Eleanor, watching, mesmerized as the snowflakes fell around her.

"No. That wasn't me. That was… Jack."

Eleanor lifted her eyebrows, turning back to Elsa.

"Jack?" she repeated. Elsa nodded. She didn't say anything more.

"So there's someone like you- in the room right now? And I can't see him?"

Elsa nodded again.

"And you two can see him too?" Eleanor asked to Kristoff and Eugene, who slowly nodded.

There was an awkward silence, and Jack's heart sank in his chest. Eleanor was turning her back to him, but Elsa looked disheartened.

"She doesn't believe you?" Jack asked quietly.

At the sound of his voice, Eleanor spun towards him, her eyes wide.

"What the-"

"Eleanor, this is Jack," said Elsa, smiling. "He's helping us defeat Pitch and the Southern Isles."

"Really?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two of them, and examining the smile Elsa was offering him. "And that's all that he's here for?"

Elsa blushed as Jack grinned, Eugene and Kristoff chuckling.

"Why couldn't I see you?" she asked curiously, looking at Jack.

"It's a long story," he smiled sheepishly.

"And one for later," announced Elsa. "So- this code?"

"Right," said Eugene. "It's not a complicated code or anything. She just underlines very subtly a few letters in the book, and when you put them together, it's a message."

"How do you know it's her?" asked Elsa. "She could have told someone about that code if she was- you know. Forced."

Jack saw her shiver at the thought of Rapunzel being tortured. Eugene's eyes flashed with an indescribable emotion for a moment.

Jack was thankful that he wasn't the guy holding this guy's wife prisoner.

"Because the book Ghost gave me- Ghost is her owl," Eugene added at their confused looks. "Anyway, the book… its _Antony and Cleopatra._ "

Jack felt as if this was supposed to mean something. He knew _Antony and Cleopatra_ was a Shakespeare play, but he didn't see how that would prove that Rapunzel had indeed sent the message. He looked at Elsa. To his surprise, she was smiling, nearly as much as she'd had in the corridor.

"Clever girl," she breathed. Kristoff was grinning too.

"What's going on with _Antony and Cleopatra_?" Eleanor asked.

"The celebration for our wedding lasted three days," started explaining Eugene.

"Honestly, I don't remember much of it," laughed Kristoff.

"On the second day, we- Rapunzel and I- played _Antony and Cleopatra_."

"But isn't it a tragedy?" interjected Jack. "Didn't it put a damper on the wedding?"

Elsa laughed, at the same time Eugene bit back a smile.

"We kind of- twisted it a little."

"Antony and Cleopatra- played by Eugene and Rapunzel, of course- won the battle, and defeated Caesar. And we were all actors- we fought in the battle. There was food everywhere," remembered Elsa, laughing.

"I remember someone throwing quite a lot of snowballs," teased Kristoff, and Elsa grinned.

"I was drunk, how many times do I have to tell you I'm _sorry_ -"

"I was in your _team_ , the point was to hit the opposite team Elsa-"

" _Anyway_ ," interrupted Eugene, as Jack had dissolved into hiccups of laughter, "We're pretty sure it's her."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Jack, "That sounded like a wild party."

"So, what does she say?" asked Elsa. Eugene fished a parchment out of his pocket, and gave it to her. She read it a few times, before looking back up at Eugene, her smile gone. She gave it to Kristoff, who seemed to read it through a few times.

Kristoff gave the parchment to him. He looked down. It looked like it had been drenched with teardrops- Eugene's teardrops. His hand had trembled as he'd deciphered Rapunzel's code.

 _Don't have fun without me._

 _Rapunzel._

…

Rapunzel looked out of the window. She was curled up on the ledge, a cushion behind her back, savouring the unnaturally warm night air. Another day had passed. Hans hadn't come back to see her, nor had Emile. The only person she'd seen had been the maid who'd she'd first seen when she'd arrived, who had brought her breakfast, lunch and dinner. She'd been silent as a ghost, not answering any of her questions.

Ghost. She wondered if Eugene had gotten her message. If he knew she was safe.

She fiddled with the pendant on her neck, in the shape of a sun. What she would give to be home now. Elsa, Anna, that baby- Eugene and Kristoff, and even Jack, though she hadn't known him long- she'd have given the world to see any of them in that instant.

There was a knock on the door, and Rapunzel's head whipped towards it. She stood up suddenly, painfully aware that the thin white nightgown she was wearing was near-transparent.

The door creaked open, and Rapunzel narrowed her eyes, trying to see in the obscurity who was entering the room.

"Who is this?" she asked warily, grabbing the quill on her desk. "Hans?"

No-one answered.

The window behind her slammed shut behind her and she jumped, and in the second her concentration wavered, there was a cold gust of wind that swept across the room, raising goose-bumps on her arms. She turned back towards the door, realizing that the darkness was too complete. Not even the moonlight offered her any eyesight.

A sound.

A match lighting.

A flame.

A slender hand raising to light a candle.

A thin face, high-cheekbones, and gorgeous black curls.

"Hello, darling."

...

"Was that really necessary?"

Pitch didn't seem to hear him as he continued looking out of Hans' bedroom window.

The Prince decided he really hated those night-time visits.

"I can sense magic, dear Prince," Pitch finally deigned to say. "That girl had to be squashed."

"Don't you get tired? Of scaring people?" asked Hans, getting up from his desk chair. He didn't approach Pitch.

"I assure you, it's very entertaining," said Pitch, turning to face him, his white teeth glinting as he smiled maniacally. Hans refrained from shivering. "She's too scared to try anything now. Fear really has a marvellous effect on people."

"So, you've achieved it?"

"If you mean to ask if I've succeeded in taking another's skin, then yes, I have."

Hans blinked.

"And who did you turn into?"

He wasn't sure if he even wanted to know the answer.

Pitch's eyes had a devilish gleam in them. He didn't give Hans a warning.

When Hans would look back on that precise moment, he would always remember the horror that had taken control of him as Pitch's skin had seemed to melt of him, revealing a pale, thin-faced, breathtakingly beautiful woman, with dark curls that rippled down her back.

"This is Mother Gothel," the woman said in a feminine, near-arrogant voice, though Hans wasn't fooled. He could still see Pitch behind the glamour, but the sight struck fear in his heart all the same. "This is what haunts our sweet little prisoner's darkest nightmares."

"Where is Gothel now?"

"Oh, dead. But she doesn't need to know that."

Then, the skin of Mother Gothel seemed to melt again, and when Pitch's cold eyes met his again they were blue-green.

Freckles covered a face that was surrounded with red hair, and Hans took a step backwards as he beheld the face of Princess Anna of Arendelle.

"I can turn into anyone," breathed Pitch, "Even your dear little princess."

Hans shook his head, closing his eyes and opening them again.

"Stop this," he said, and when Anna's face merely smiled, he gasped out, "Please."

Anna's skin melted off Pitch, revealing the long dark robes and the greyish face.

"Worry not, my Prince. Soon, you will see your Princess."


	20. The Diamond Cave

**_Note:_** _There is some very explicit content below, so if that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, when you see that things are escalating, just skip that part. Have a fantastic day!_

 **Chapter 20: The Diamond Cave**

"What's the difference between the transformation you made at New Year's and the one you subjected our prisoner to?" asked the King to Pitch. Hans was at his father's side, silent. He wanted to shout at his father to be more careful- the King was an arrogant man, and Pitch wouldn't hesitate to make him regret his insolence.

"That was an illusion," explained Pitch, "Created by my sand. It was temporary. What I can do now… I truly _become_ the person I'm turning into. I have access to their memories, thoughts, fears…"

Hans had gone to visit Rapunzel three times after Pitch had told him what he'd done; what he'd seen had confirmed what the servants reported back to Pitch. She stayed in her bed, staring at the ceiling. The sight of her foster Mother, combined to whatever Pitch had told her under her form, had extinguished a fire in the princess.

That wasn't exactly something that he wanted to witness.

"And how is that going to help us in this- this war that you've convinced us to go on?" snapped the King, and Hans stiffened.

"That _I_ convinced you to go on? You were searching for allies to take on the Ice Queen long before I appeared in your chambers, your _Majesty._ "

Pitch spit out the title like an insult. Before his Father could retort, Hans laid a hand on his father's arms. A warning.

"The possibilities are endless," Pitch carried on, though Hans knew he had noticed the gesture, "I can turn into someone the Ice Queen and the Spirit of Winter trusts. I can learn of their plans. I can manipulate them into coming right into our arms."

Hans shivered at the thought of Pitch appearing as Kristoff in front of Anna. If he had the memories and thoughts of the person he turned into- he could make her do anything.

"So what is the plan?" asked Broderick, the eldest prince, and Hans threw him an uneasy look. Now that his family was back, Hans was constantly on edge (not that he'd been relaxed alone with Pitch).

"We lure them where we want them to come… with a little help from our prisoner."

…

Rapunzel sat in front of her desk, doodling on the sheets of her paper. The sound of the scratch of the quill on parchment soothed her.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming her way. Instantly, the quill stilled over her parchment, and she lifted her head, listening intently. The footsteps stopped outside her door.

Rapunzel lurched from her chair and onto the bed, staring at the ceiling in a similar fashion that she'd done every time came into her chambers. It was the most efficient way to make everyone believe that the appearance of Mother Gothel had extinguished the flame of rebellion that screamed for her to escape.

She knew it was an illusion- she had seen Mother Gothel disappear into smoke before her very eyes- but seeing her dead mother had brought terror that she hadn't known she would feel.

The door creaked open, and Rapunzel had to resist looking up to see who it was. The only thing she could do was pray that it wasn't Pitch.

"Rapunzel?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, before opening them again. She heard the door click shut, and saw a shadow walk towards the bed, pulling the desk chair to her side.

"I brought you hot chocolate."

She still determinedly ignored Prince Hans.

"Look, I didn't know he was going to do that."

Hans had visited her a few times in the past two weeks since Gothel- or Pitch- had appeared to her. She couldn't find an explanation for his attempts to get through to her.

"Rapunzel?"

"Don't call me that," she snapped, and cursed herself immediately for opening her mouth. She sat up, abandoning her broken pretence. He looked stunned, his eyes wide. Her lips curved into a cold smile.

"You tried to murder both my cousins and take control of their kingdom. You've allied yourself with the cruellest man I have ever met, and I'm including my mother in that. You've raised a child army- yes, I know about that. You've kidnapped me, terrorized me by using my traumas- I can't believe I had a conversation about _Shakespeare_ with you." She paused, taking in a breath. Hans looked hurt, but she couldn't care less. "Don't call me Rapunzel. It's Princess to you."

Her gaze dropped to the steaming mug of hot chocolate he held in his hands. Though the temperature was warm, she seized it, and drank it in one go, feeling the hot liquid burning her tongue and throat. She thrust it back into Hans's hands.

"Get out. And you can tell Pitch I'm wide-awake and not giving up. You're a scumbag after all."

Hans looked stunned, and he stood up so suddenly that for a second, she thought he was going to hit her. For all her bravado, she must have flinched because Hans looked at her sadly.

"Do you really think I would hit you?"

"You tried to _murder_ my cousins. Sorry for the thought of you being above violence not coming to my mind."

"I deserved that," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. She stood from the bed, so that the bed now stood between them. Rapunzel glared at the red-head prince.

"I'm sorry."

His words had been so quiet that for a second, Rapunzel thought she'd imagined them. But he was looking at her with a desperate gleam in her eyes, and she gaped at him. Part of her wanted to spit back out his words, but- something was holding her back.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked instead, her voice surprisingly soft. Hans' eyes gleamed unnaturally and if she hadn't known better, she'd have thought those were tears reflecting the light.

"Have you heard of Queen Anastasia?" he asked hoarsely, sitting back down. She stayed standing, not letting her guard down. Slowly, she shook her head.

"I didn't have history lessons growing up," she justified herself. Hans waved his hand absent-mindedly, as if that wasn't an important detail.

"She was my mother," he said quietly, and Rapunzel found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, opposite from him. "She was the mother of all of my brothers."

"Impressive," said Rapunzel, "Thirteen children."  
"She didn't have much of a choice," sighed Hans, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "My brother, Gregory- I trust you know him? (Rapunzel nodded)- he told me that Father visited her chambers only to sire heirs. He wanted as many male heirs as possible."

"And she only had boys," said Rapunzel, lifting her eyebrows. Hans gasped out a laugh, shaking his head. The sound sent chills down her back; there was no real amusement there, but tremendous sorrow and anger.

"Her first child was a daughter," explained Hans. "My mother named her Luna, like the moon."

"What happened to her?" Rapunzel whispered, dreading the answer.

"My mother held her daughter for one night. When the sun rose, my Father came. He took the new-born girl and he- he-" he seemed incapable of finishing his sentence, his gaze fleeing hers as she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with horror.

"He did it in front of my mother," he murmured, "And the servants told us that after that, she was never the same. And each time she was pregnant, she would cry and cry and pray for the child to be male, because she didn't think she would be able to bear it if another one of her children was murdered, for the only sin of being born a girl."

"Hans," she breathed, not knowing what to say. She walked towards him without even realizing she was doing it, and touched hesitantly his shoulder. His head was bowed, and Rapunzel knew he was trying to hide tears.

"Gregory has few memories of my mother, but he told me that she would have done anything to protect them. She did her best to cure the corruption our Father was teaching them. My brothers- they were the only reason she hadn't ended her life."

"She sounds amazing," said Rapunzel quietly.

"I wouldn't know," said Hans, lifting his head. "I never met her. She gave her life when she brought me in this world."

This didn't change anything to what Hans had done in the past- but Rapunzel found it, in that moment, to forgive him. Not for what he had done to Anna and Elsa- that was up to them. But all her resentment lifted, as she watched the fallen prince.

"My childhood was a dark one. My brothers didn't love much in this world, but every single one of them cherished my mother. They blamed me for her death; three of them pretended I was invisible, and the others- except for Gregory, I had no-one."

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

"I so wanted to be one of them," whispered Hans, "I was foolish. I went to Arendelle, with this brilliant and cruel plan- all so I would truly become their brother."

She said nothing, waiting.

"When I came back, even though I'd failed- I'd gained a little of respect. But I lost the respect of the only brother that really mattered."

"Gregory," she said, quietly. Hans nodded.

"He was never as corrupt as the others. And when he met Eleanor; she taught him so much; he was always good, but she changed him so deeply. Made him realize how horrible all of them were. When I came back, and told all of them what had happened… he told me- he told me I was just like them."

Hans shuddered, and this time Rapunzel saw tears cascading down his cheeks. She wiped one away with her finger before taking him in her arms. She held the Prince as he cried.

"I'm so sorry," he sobbed, "For all that I've done."

"You can still redeem yourself," whispered Rapunzel. "Help me, come with me- Gregory is in Arendelle, he'll forgive you, I know he will-"

"I can't. I started this war, I can't back out now-"

"It's never too late to choose to do the right thing, Hans. And despite all that you did- I know there is good in you, deep down. Help me."

Hans didn't answer immediately, and the silence stretched on for so long that she thought he wouldn't answer.

She sighed, and lifted her hand from his shoulder, turning away from him.

She felt him seize her wrist, and she turned back, surprised. His green eyes were imploring as he met her gaze.

"How?"

…

It had been two weeks since they'd received Rapunzel's message. Two weeks since Elsa had held in her trembling hands the proof that her cousin was still alive.

Elsa had sent her guards across the countryside, and they'd all returned with the same news: whole villages destroyed, and not a survivor amongst them. She spent most of her days locked in the Council Room with Eugene and the Council, preparing for war, choosing a strategy.

When it all became too much, Elsa went to hide in Lucinda's room. She played with the little girl, answering her questions. The servants told her that sometimes Lucinda woke in the middle of the night screaming for her mother, and her heart broke every time.

Anna was getting better with every day that passed; a flush had returned to her cheeks, a happy gleam in her eyes too; the pockets under her eyes were disappearing, and she seemed healthier. Kristoff seldom left her bedside.

Jack was gone during the daytime. Though it tore at her heart, she understood. He had to be with the other Guardians, watching out for the children in the war that was coming. She couldn't expect him to want to be locked up in her castle all the time.

Though he kissed her goodbye every morning, and kissed her again when he flew in from the window, she missed him all day, and thought that evening couldn't come fast enough.

With each guard that came back, giving her more news about bloodshed and horror, Elsa came every day closer to a decision that she didn't want to make.

…

Jack felt the sun rays caressing his face. He opened his eyes, blinking as the light blinded him.

Elsa was still asleep, her hair messy on the pillow, her head resting on his chest. At some point during the night, he'd taken his sweatshirt off, and Elsa was now snuggled against his bare torso. He stroked idly her shoulder with his thumb, looking up at the ceiling. He would have to leave Elsa again, go back to North, Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy, flying across Arendelle and the Southern Isles, doing their best to protect and reassure terrorized children. They encountered more and more Nightmares every day. They were swarming the land, leaving despair and terror in their wake.

And everyday, they became more difficult to defeat.

He felt Elsa shift against him, and he held her tighter. In the past weeks, he sometimes felt like the only thing he was sure of, the only thing tethering him to reality and goodness. She made him want to be the best version of himself.

"Are you awake?" he heard her mumble sleepily, and his lips curved into a soft smile.

"Hey, beautiful," he murmured in her hair, and she looked up, her blue eyes meeting his own. She rested her chin on his face as she stroked his chest with a finger absent-mindedly.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

"You know I don't want to," he said, looking down at her. She nodded, her hair falling in front of her face. He brushed her hair back behind her ear, and she bit her lip, as if she was refraining from saying something. She seemed to decide against it, and instead raised herself from bed, walking towards her wardrobe and fishing out a blue dress. He closed his eyes before she had the chance to ask him to do so, and heard her breathy chuckle.

When she told him he could, he opened his eyes, and raised from the bed, picking up his sweatshirt on the way and throwing it over himself.

"I liked you better without it," Elsa teased, smiling. He grinned, and walked towards her, pulling her to him. He kissed her, and he felt her melt into him, opening herself up to him.

She broke away from him, and escaped his arms, walking towards the door. She looked back at him.

"You'll come back tonight, right?"

She asked the same question every morning, almost as if she doubted his desire to come back.

She turned her back to him, but before she could close the door completely, he grabbed his staff, and flew across the room at the speed of light. She jumped, startled.

"Let's go somewhere," he said breathlessly, grabbing her hand.

"Jack-" she said, already shaking her head.

"Come on Elsa. Just for today. Just the two of us."

"But-"

"The War's not going anywhere," whispered Jack, watching her urgently. She studied him for a second, before sighing, and he knew he'd won. He grinned, and pulled her by the hand back into the room, the door clicking shut again.

"So, your Majesty, where do you want to go?" he said flirtatiously.

"The forest we were last time," she said, "There's a place I want to show you."

He bent down, pecking her on the mouth.

Next second, they were out, and Elsa was screaming, holding on to him for dear life. He laughed as he felt the cold winter air of the end of January blowing in his hair. He soared towards the forest.

…

The forest ground was frozen, but Jack couldn't feel the cold against his bare feet. He let Elsa drag him forwards, clutching his hand.

"Where are we going?" he laughed.

"Anna showed me this place after we were reunited," she said, walking fast. "You're going to love it."

More and more curious (after all, what could be so great in a snow-covered and freezing forest), he followed her without another word. Finally, they reached the entrance of a cave.

"What is this?" he asked, smiling.

"You'll see."

Snow had started to fall, and snowflakes were in her hair, melting and catching the light. She pulled him in the cave. The entrance was quite small, so that he had to crawl. When he stood again to his full height, he gaped as he took in the sight.

The cave was sculpted in a perfectly circular space, and was illuminated by looked like thousands of- diamonds. Diamonds that hung from the ceiling, reaching towards the floor, reflecting the light and turning it blue, so that the whole cave was bathed in a dark blue light. And underneath all of that was a pool, and Jack could see the water steam. Though the freezing outside world was a few inches away, the temperature was warm here. He was under the impression that he had stepped through one of North's portals. The cave was quiet, filled with only the sound of lapping water. He turned back to Elsa, who was watching him expectantly.

"This place is beautiful," he told her, and her anxious face was illuminated by a wide smile. She came closer to him, and kissed him. The blue light shimmered on her hair, and he held her as close to him as he could.

But then, he felt a tear that wasn't his. He broke away and sure enough, Elsa was crying.

"Why are you crying?" he said, alarmed.

"I'm sorry- it's stupid," she said, wiping the tear away and giving him a wobbly smile.

"Tell me," he whispered, grabbing her hand. Their fingers laced together, as they sat down. Jack crossed his legs, and Elsa leaned on him.

"I'm just scared," she said, no longer crying. She was fleeing his gaze, instead looking down at their joined hands. "It's just- it's becoming more real. This is the first year of my reign, and I'm already going to war and for what?"

"The freedom of your people," Jack said, frowning.

"No, I'm going for myself. Pitch doesn't want my people, he wants me. If I give myself over to him willingly-"

"Stop talking."

Jack's voice had been so firm that her eyes flicked up to meet his, surprised.

"Don't ever say that again," he said hoarsely, grabbing her elbows. "You've sacrificed enough for your kingdom and those you love."

"But-"

"Do you know what _I_ would go through if you did that?" he said gruffly, the volume of his voice raising. "Did you stop to think, in your self-sacrificing spree, what that would do to _me_?"

Elsa looked as if she was about to say something, and he shook his head.

"No, let me finish. Do you know what would be selfish? You giving up on me."

"I'm not giving up on you," she whispered, "I would never give up on you."

"Then don't sacrifice yourself. If you give yourself over to Pitch, the whole world will end- you know that right?"

She closed her eyes, and nodded. He cupped her face in his hands and drew her in, kissing her again.

The kiss became more passionate, as Elsa's hands streaked across his hair. They raised to their knees, body to body. The kiss was interrupted for a second when Jack felt her warm hands lift the sweatshirt from his skin, so that he could feel every tingle of warmth of the cave on his naked chest. Their chests pressed together as their lips crashed together.

Unexplainably, she drew away, frowning at his sweatshirt, laying on the floor. Jack followed her gaze, and felt himself stiffen.

She wasn't looking at the sweatshirt. She was looking at a piece of paper that had fallen from his front pocket.

The letter he'd found in the library, all that time ago.

…

Elsa frowned, picking up the yellowing parchment. She'd felt the shift in Jack, and bit her lip, wondering what it was.

She unfolded the parchment and stiffened.

Her father had been dead for years, yet here was his writing, on an aged scroll. She lifted her gaze to meet Jack's- he looked speechless. She turned back to the letter, and started to read.

 _Counsellor Archimedes,_

 _I am glad to know that nothing politically important has happened in the kingdom since I've been gone. I am very sad to learn that princess Elsa lost control of her powers again. You said you have punished her accordingly; you know that whilst I think that teaching Elsa to control her powers is vitally important for her future as well as Arendelle's, I hope that you have not used the force of violence on the princess. That will only heighten her fear, and it will end badly. I will personally ask Elsa if you have disobeyed my orders on this account- know that if you did, the repercussions will be terrible for yourself, and your career._

 _King Agnarr of Arendelle._

"Why do you have this?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Elsa-" he reached towards her, but she stood up and took a step back from him, crushing the letter in her trembling hands. Jack closed his eyes, before standing up too, though he didn't try to come closer to her.

"I found it in the library," he said, "Before Katie was murdered."

"You've had it since then?" she asked accusingly. "You said nothing to me about it- and when we danced, in the ice castle, you'd read it?!"

"Elsa, I didn't know what you'd gone through. I didn't-"

"Don't tell me you didn't pretend," she snapped.

"I didn't!" he protested, taking a step forwards. She was trembling with rage and shame. "I didn't know anything about- about the room-"

He stopped talking.

"Elsa," he breathed, taking a step closer to her. "I know how this is going to sound but I- I found it by accident, and I read it, and I was horrified. And then, Katie died, and this whole thing started, and I forgot about it. This doesn't change anything."

"Pitch said I was a pity-case," she murmured. "That you were here because you felt bad."

"Since when do you believe Pitch over me?" he asked furiously, taking another step towards her. She didn't back away, and he looked relieved that she didn't.

"I should have told you about this the minute I found it," he whispered.

"Yes, you should have," she said, looking up at him.

"I got scared. I didn't want the trust you'd started to have in me to disappear."

She shook her head, and was about to take another step back when he grabbed her wrist. The blue light danced over his naked chest, and she met his blue gaze, imploring her.

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

And with those two words, all of her anger and fear fell away. Her shoulders slumped, and she let the letter fall to the ground.

Then, they were locked in a desperate embrace, their lips sealed together, Jack's arms around her and lifting her feet an inch off the ground; Elsa's hands in his hair, and behind his neck. They sunk to the ground, so that she was underneath him, and his kisses sank down to her neck.

"Tell me when you want us to stop," he whispered roughly, in a voice that she didn't recognize.

"I don't," she said. He interrupted his kisses, his eyes locking with hers.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She looked up at him. She knew he wouldn't pressure her into anything she wouldn't want to. Hell, they'd been sleeping in the same bed for three weeks, and he'd never pushed it. But now, she knew she wanted to do it- do it with him. She'd never been surer of anything in her life than at that moment in the glistening blue cave, Jack looking down at her, strands of white hair falling over his heartbreakingly blue eyes.

"Yes," she exhaled.

It was as if that word was a releasing; Jack bent forward again, and imprisoned her mouth in his. They broke the kiss, and Elsa stood up, brushing her hair to the side, turning her back to him. Jack approached, and Elsa could feel the trembling of his hands as he unzipped the back of her dress.

The blue dress slipped to the floor, leaving her with white heels and her underclothes. She faced him, and Jack took a step back, his eyes devouring her. Her toes curled in her shoes.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed, his eyes coming back up to meet hers. She bit her lip.

"You're not bad yourself, Winter Spirit," she teased. Amusement flashed in his eyes, and he strode to her. He pulled her to him, slowly bringing his lips to hers. The kiss was soft and slow at first; they laid back down on the floor again, and the kiss accelerated, his tongue flicking inside her mouth. He left her mouth and kissed her neck. She twisted, sick of her neck getting so much attention.

"Greedy," he murmured, his lips hovering over the arch of her breast, still covered by the silk bra. She felt his hand brush downwards, stroking her stomach and abdomen- slowly, so torturously slowly making its way towards the silk band of her underwear, and the ache slowly building there. She felt as if her whole body was basking in a glorious tingling.

"Jack," she moaned, and his lips crashed into hers, as if he wanted to devour the sound of his name on her lips. Her legs lifted, closing around his midriff, pressing him down on her.

She felt something hard against her, and heat flooded her. She went taut and loose, as Jack's hands resumed his stroking, getting nearer and nearer.

Her back arched when his finger slipped under the silk, and her legs locked around his midriff, grounding him against her, eliciting a soft hiss.

"You first," he murmured. "Let me- let me touch you."

It was enough of a broken plea that she let him resume his stroking, and she closed her eyes at the pleasure of it all. He gave her a satisfied smile at the wetness he found there, and his thumb teased her, brushed against that spot again, again… again.

"Please," she managed to say.

His hand squeezed her breast at the same moment his thumb pressed down exactly where she needed it to. She bucked her hips, her head raising from the ground before slumping back down again. She moaned, and maybe she said his name- she was too far gone to pay attention. He flicked his thumb, and she cried out. He kissed her again, with a furious need. She raised her hands to his hair, keeping his lips locked to hers as he slipped in a second finger.

Elsa couldn't breathe, couldn't think, her whole being narrowed down to the feeling of those two fingers inside her. She felt herself move on him, clenching tight. She heard him swear, and he captured her lips again. She bit his lower-lip, and he groaned.

"You have no idea- _Elsa_ ," he groaned, burying his face in her neck as she moved against him. Her name on his lips was her undoing; release barrelled through her, and she felt her tightness around his fingers as she trembled uncontrollably around him. She cried out again as he stroked her through the last strokes of it.

When the marvellous sensation disappeared, though not leaving her completely, she looked up at him. She felt his fingers leave her insides, resuming their slow teasing.

"I wanted to do that," he whispered, his breath tingling inside her ear, "The night after the battle, when you had that nightgown hitched around your waist. I wanted to take you right then and there."

She was looking at him with wide eyes, barely breathing. Slowly, she sat up, and pulled her bra off her.

She felt his attention narrow to her naked chest. He prowled towards her, making her lean back down again.

"And in the woods," he breathed, slowly kissing one of her breasts, his tongue flicking over her nipple, "I didn't even know I had that kind of self-control in me."

Elsa felt his hardness against her again, and heat flooded her once more. She fumbled around, pulling his pants off him. She watched his naked body, just as he was looking at her reaction.

"I know. Pretty impressive, huh?" he said, grinning. She laughed, smacking him in the chest.

"You're an idiot," she laughed, and he smiled at her. The emotion on his face made her laughter slowly fade away.

"Elsa," he said, serious once more, "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

She looked up at him, a smile creeping on her face.

"You too," she whispered.

When he slipped inside her, she forgot who she'd been and where she'd been; she forgot her terrible past and was left with only the feeling of him consuming her. She felt it, the bond between them. Something glowing, that linked them together the way she hadn't even known two people could be. When he kissed her again, she knew then how she felt for him. And she decided, as he made her come again, that she would never allow anyone to take him from her.

…

Elsa opened her eyes as dusk was falling in the outside world. She was laying in Jack's arms, the both of them completely naked, his thumb stroking idly her shoulder, the same way it had that very morning.

She sat up, and turned her head to look at him, her hair like a halo around her face.

"You could have woken me up, you know," she said, smiling down at Jack. He turned to the side, smiling back at her.

"What were you thinking about?" she asked softly, leaning in into him.

"You," he said, brushing her hair back against her shoulder, and kissing her neck. She bit her lip, swallowing back a smile.

"We should get back," Jack said, and she groaned, slumping back down on the ground, covering her face with her hands. He nuzzled his nose against her neck, and she opened her eyes.

"Before we get back- I have to tell you something," she announced.

"I'm listening," he said, looking down at her.

"I've decided-" she stopped talking, studying him. "Okay, first of all, you have to know that this has nothing with wanting to get you away from me."

"You're scaring me," he frowned, shifting to the side, his head on his fist as he looked down at her. She exhaled, and lifted her hand to brush away a string of white hair from his eyes.

"I've decided to send Anna to Corona," she said, looking at Jack. "She's pregnant, she can't move- leaving her in the castle when we could be under attacked at any moment is suicidal."

He nodded, not glancing away from her for a second.

"She can't go by North's sleigh- that would be dangerous for the baby. And you can't fly her there, either, because Kristoff has to go with her, and being miles up from the ground isn't exactly the best way to keep her pregnancy smooth."

Jack nodded again, though his frown made Elsa think that he knew what was coming.

"She has to go by foot," Elsa said. "And I would like you to- accompany her."

"No way," Jack said, hoisting himself upright, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you."

"The second she's safe in Corona, you can fly back here as fast as you possibly can," she said, her tone pleading.

"If Pitch attacks while I'm not here-"

"I can defend myself."

"Come with us," he said, now begging; it broke her heart. "I'll fly the both of us back."

"I can't leave Arendelle. They need me."

"Elsa-"

"Please Jack. Kristoff is injured, Anna is pregnant. I need you to protect them."

He bowed his head, giving in.

"Promise me you won't do anything reckless," he breathed.

"I never do. You know me. Very sensible Ice Queen."

He laughed, and she smiled.

"When do you want us to leave?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," she said. His eyes widened, gaping at her.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this," he said, his hand going through his shock of white hair. She took his hand, and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm going to miss you," she murmured.

"I don't know if 'miss' is a big enough word," chuckled Jack, and she kissed his cheek.

Without warning, she stood up, and picked off at a run, jumping into the steaming pool. The hot water washed over her, and soon Jack was swimming towards her, pulling her naked body to his.

"I don't ever want to leave this cave," she whispered.

They made love in the water, as they worshipped each other, still not believing that amongst all this darkness, they'd found the other.


	21. Those Unspoken Words

**Chapter 21: Those Unspoken Words**

Jack and Elsa walked into the dining room holding hands, to find Eleanor, Gregory, Eugene, Anna (who had obviously been carried downstairs), and Kristoff already eating. At the sound of the double-doors opening, they'd all turned towards the door-frame.

"And where have you two been?" asked Anna, visibly fighting a grin. Jack saw Elsa blush furiously, but he smiled widely back at them, winking.

"We were out," he simply said, the both of them sitting down next to Kristoff. Jack realized with a jolt that Gregory was staring right at him- Eleanor must have told him about the Spirit of Winter, who had been in on all their conversations.

"Hi, I'm Jack," he introduced himself, stretching out a hand towards Gregory. The poor guy looked stunned as he stretched out a hand, shaking Jack's hand in his own.

"This looks good," interrupted Elsa, looking down at the food on their plates. "I'm famished."

"I bet you are," grinned Anna, wriggling her eyebrows. "Any physical activities that would have caused such hunger?"

"Anna," warned Elsa, and Jack noticed with renewed amusement that Elsa's face was as red as the curtains of the dining room. Kristoff chuckled, looking back and forth between Elsa and him. Elsa tried her best to ignore him, piling potatoes on her plate.

She began eating in silence, Jack shooting looks at Eugene and Kristoff, who were shaking with silent laughter. He bit the inside of his jaw, stopping himself from smiling.

With a clang, Elsa dropped her cutlery in her plate.

"What's going on?" she asked sharply, blushing again. Kristoff tried to calm himself enough to be able to speak.

"Sorry, El'," he said, his eyes shining with hilarity, "But you two aren't exactly discreet."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she said regally, raising her chin a little higher. Jack fiddled with his staff, avoiding eye-contact with Eugene or Kristoff, sure that if he crossed one of their gazes, he would burst out laughing. And he didn't want to make Elsa more uncomfortable than she already was.

"Really?" said Anna disbelievingly, "Because I'm not really getting innocent vibes over here."

"I'm sorry, I'm not getting what we're discussing here," intervened Eleanor. Anna opened her mouth as if she was going to explain what exactly she was trying to make her sister admit, when Elsa interrupted her.

"Geez Anna! This is not a convenient topic of conversation for us to have here!" she hissed.

Anna waved her hand dismissively, as if talking about Elsa's 'physical activities' was a completely normal, and suitable, topic of conversation to have around dinner.

"I'm just wondering where my sister was for the day," she shrugged innocently.

"What do you expect me to say? ' _Anna, guess what, I disappeared because I wanted to have sex with Jack'_?"

Anna yelled triumphantly, as Kristoff and Eugene burst out laughing, no longer hiding their laughter. Jack looked up, a startled grin erupting on his face. She looked mortified.

"And _that_ ," he said proudly, "is why she's my girlfriend."

The boys laughed harder, and Elsa smiled too, though her face was still beetroot-red.

"I knew it!" said Anna, jumping up and down excitedly. "Was it good?"

Elsa shook her head, resigned.

"Yeah, Snowflake, was it good?" he repeated, ignoring Eugene and Kristoff's laughter.

"It was pretty great, yeah," she admitted, rolling her eyes at the renewed hilarity. "You two are _really_ immature," she said, raising her eyebrows in the direction of her in-laws.

"My first time was pretty awkward," babbled on Anna, "Kristoff didn't really know what he was doing."

Elsa hid her face in her hands, trying to swallow back laughter at the same time Jack burst out laughing, and Kristoff shouted in protest.

"That wasn't what you said at the time," he objected. Before Anna could retort, Elsa coughed, regaining their attention.

"As pleasant as I find this conversation, we've got to talk about more… important things."

Kristoff and Eugene stopped smiling, and Anna frowned, looking worried.

"Anna." Elsa sighed, looking around at all of them, before turning her gaze back to her sister, who was watching her anxiously. "I've decided to send you away."

"What do you mean?" asked Anna quietly.

"Arendelle has become too dangerous. You're pregnant, and if we were attacked tomorrow by Pitch's forces, and something happened to you-"

"I'm not leaving Arendelle," Anna said firmly.

"You are. Tomorrow. You're going to Corona with Kristoff, Lucinda, and Jack."

Anna turned to Jack, fixing him with a blue-green stare.

"And you've agreed to this?"

"You need protection. Jack can provide it."

"Elsa I don't know if you've noticed, but it's the _dead of winter_. It could take weeks, hell, _months_ -"

"I can speed us up a bit," said Jack, "And once you're safe, I'll fly back to Arendelle as quickly as I can."

"Are you _insane_?" gaped Anna towards him. "How did she convince you? You do realize that an attack from Pitch while we're gone is a very real threat?"

"That's why you have to go," said Elsa.

"And _if_ that happens," intervened Eugene, "We'll be there. We can hold them back until Jack gets here."

"Fine," said Anna, shooting another murderous look at Jack as if this was his fault, "Get rid of me, then, if that makes you feel better."

"It doesn't make me feel better," said Elsa quietly, and Jack swallowed back the urge to snap back at Anna. "I'd be much happier if my pregnant sister could stay in the castle with me. But this is _war_ , Anna. People are losing their lives out there, and I can't- I won't allow you to be one of them."

"Elsa-" tried Anna again.

"My decision is final," said Elsa dryly. "Go pack."

…

"She hates me," said Elsa for the thousandth time, as she paced her room. Jack raised his palms to cover his face, laying down on her bed.

"No, she doesn't," he said exasperatedly.

"I snapped at her-"

"She was being unreasonable. Kind of like you right now."

"I'm not being unreasonable-"

"You are. She'll see sense in no time, don't worry."

"This could be the last time I ever see her-"

Jack sat up so suddenly Elsa stopped pacing.

"You'll see Anna again, Elsa. You know you will."

The white light of the moon reflected on her pale hair, highlighting her blue eyes, filled with anguish. He sighed, and raised from the bed, walked towards her, and pulled her in a tight embrace.

"I could stay," he whispered in her hair. "With you. You can send guards to look after Anna-"

"You are the only one I trust my sister's life with," she breathed in his sweatshirt. He closed his eyes, resigned. His gaze flashed to the clock.

It was midnight.

"Do you want to sleep?" he whispered. She looked up, her blue eyes glinting in the darkness. She shook her head, before pulling on his sweatshirt, forcing him to bend down. His lips met hers, and he pulled her in, savouring the way she melted into him.

She broke away.

"I need to take a shower," she said, smiling up at him. He nodded.

He lied back down as he watched her enter the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He heard the sound of water being poured into the bathtub, and he waited.

He closed his eyes, letting the sound of running water soothe him.

What seemed like a small eternity later, the door opened. He opened his eyes sleepily, looking towards the doorframe- and gaped.

Elsa was there, dressed in nothing but lacy lingerie, and a black cardigan.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly, watching with attention the way she moved as she leaned back against the wall, gauging his reaction.

"Making the most of you while you're still here," she answered. Slowly, he stood from the bed, but didn't come any closer. His eyes roamed her revealed curves.

"Come here," he said, but she did no such thing. She leaned on her hands, who were pressed against the wall, biting her lip as she dared him with a single look. He took a step forwards.

"You're making this harder, you know," he said, his eyes raising back to her face, meeting her icy blue gaze. "Me leaving."

"If you want, I can go dress-"

"That-" he laughed, shaking his head, "That's not what I meant."

"Good," she smiled, and he could have sworn there was a glint of maliciousness there. She knew exactly what she was doing. She took a step forwards, and joined him across the room.

His sweatshirt fell to the floor, as she traced the lines on his torso with a finger. He was barely breathing.

"You're driving me crazy," he breathed. She met his gaze, tilting her head to the side, and smiled sweetly.

"I know."

…

Afterwards, they lied in bed, watching the stars out of the window.

"You've got- um- experience?"

He looked down at Elsa, who was determinedly avoiding his searching look.

"Are you asking me if I've had sex before?" he asked, hiding a grin.

"No- Yes? You don't have to tell me, if you had. I was just wondering. If- you know. Fell in love once."

"I didn't love her. I mean- I thought I did, but now, looking back… I know I wasn't in love."

This statement was met with silence- Jack knew she wasn't angry, but she didn't know if he would let her ask more questions.

"She was- from another village. She was called Dorothy."

"And then you died," she whispered, and he felt her lips move against his chest.

"It was a fling," he said, "I honestly didn't know what I was doing half the time. It was really awkward afterwards."

"What did you do?" she said, finally meeting his gaze as she looked up at him, smiling a little. He sighed, ruffling his hair.

"I don't want to tell you," he said, laughing softly. She raised herself on her elbows.

"Okay, now I really want to know."

"Trust me, you don't," he said.

"Come ooooon," she grinned, "Please?"

He looked down at her imploring gaze.

"Okay, fine," he groaned. "So, I grew up on a farm, and my parents never gave me the birds and bees stuff, so I had like _absolutely_ no idea what went on behind closed doors."

"You _at least_ had some kind of idea?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Well I'd- Promise me you won't laugh."

She giggled, bending her head, her hair covering her face.

"Fine, I promise," she said.

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked. She shrugged innocently, and he narrowed his eyes as he caressed her arm and shoulder. "I'd only seen it done by horses."

He forced himself to say the words quickly, scared that he would change his mind. She frowned, looking confused for a second.

Then, her eyes widened.

"You mean- you tried-"

He nodded. She burst out laughing, burying her face in the sheets of the bed. Jack grinned.

"That poor girl!" Elsa said between hiccups of laughter.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!" he said defensively, though he couldn't help grinning at Elsa's hilarity. She was near-crying with laughter. "How could I have known?!"

"Jack, I never had anyone before you, and I knew how it was done!"

"Come on- Wait. What do you mean, you had no-one before me?" he asked, frowning. She stopped laughing, looking at him curiously. "You were a virgin?!"

"Of course I was, I told you-"

"You didn't tell me anything! Christ, did I do it right? Did I hurt you?"

"Jack, come on, I'm not a sensitive creature-"

"But how is that possible? You're twenty-one, and beautiful, guys must have thrown themselves on you!"

"The locked-up-because-dangerous-ice-powers thing _might_ have been an obstacle to my dating life," she teased, amused at his fretting. "Honestly Jack, it's no big deal- it's not like my virginity was a treasure that needed to be guarded, you know."

"But-"

"I'm glad it was you," she said, blushing just a little. "I wouldn't have had it any other way."

He softened, resuming brushing his knuckle against her arm and shoulder.

"I'm glad it was me too," he breathed, and she knelt forwards, kissing him softly.

…

The morning sun glinted on white, freshly-fallen snow. Elsa lifted her shirts, avoiding a pile of snow, approaching Anna. The princess was lying down on a wooden sleigh, covered in furs and cushions. She watched Elsa approach with a forlorn look on her face.

"I'm sorry Anna," Elsa said, looking down at her sister's face. "I have to."

Anna took Elsa's hand in her own.

"I know," she whispered, squeezing her hand. Elsa bent, kissing her sister's forehead.

"I'll see you soon, alright?" Elsa said. Anna nodded. She started turning away, before Anna could see the tears gathering in her eyes, but Anna pulled her hand.

"Don't let that be a lie, El'."

She nodded, and turned to Kristoff. His dirty-blonde hair was hidden underneath a grey snow-cap. For a moment, she found she was at a loss of words. The brown eyes of her brother-in-law searched hers. Then, she threw herself in his arms, and he held her close. Their embrace said everything they hadn't ever said to each other- it was her thanks to have found her sister, her gratefulness that he was now part of her family, as much her brother as Anna was her sister. Finally, she let go, leaving a grim Eugene hug Kristoff, and turned to Lucinda. The small girl looked up at the queen.

"I name you Lady of Hildenburg. Do you know what that means?"

The girl shook her head.

"If there is no-one of my family left, you will be queen. So you have to be careful all right? And take care of Princess Anna. Will you do that for me?"

Lucinda nodded again, and Elsa squeezed her hand.

"I hope I'll see you again, Lady Lucinda."

Before she could raise back up on her feet, the little girl had wrapped her small arms around Elsa's neck, burying her face in her shoulder. After the initial surprise, Elsa wrapped her arms around the girl's small body. Lucinda broke away again, and kissed Elsa's cheek, before sauntering towards Anna. Elsa watched her go, a small smile on her face. She heard the sound of the gates opening, and the sleigh started to move.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" whispered a voice, and Elsa felt Jack's breath tickle her ear. She turned, to find him a breath away from her. She smiled up at him.

"I don't know," she said, lacing her hands behind his neck, "Who?"

"He's pretty good-looking," murmured Jack, an amused yet sad gleam in his blue eyes, "White hair. _Amazing_ lover." She laughed.

"It does ring a bell," she whispered, and then, they were kissing, her hands in his hair and his around her waist, and tears- his or hers, they would never know- were on their cheeks.

"Jack," she said breathlessly- "I have to tell you something."

Something that she'd known since they'd talked about wishes and stars, since he'd held her when she woke up from a nightmare, since the diamond cave that she so desperately wanted to get back to…

 _I love you._

But before she could form the words out loud, Jack had shaken his head.

"Don't say it," he said softly, brushing her hear behind her ear. "This isn't goodbye."

She shook her head, and they were kissing again, and she wished so badly that she could tell him to stay, that he would never let her go-

"Jack!" called Kristoff, and their kiss ended. Jack looked back into Elsa's eyes, filled with tears, and squeezed her hand.

"I'll see you again, Elsa of Arendelle. Or die trying."

"Let's try to not die," she said, laughing amidst her tears.

He flew away, joining Anna, Kristoff and Lucinda, and Elsa watched him go, feeling at once as if something vitally important was missing-

And the weight of her unspoken words filled the air around her.

The doors closed, and Elsa sank to her knees. Eugene jumped forwards, and knelt beside her, holding her as she sobbed.

She dried her tears, and stood up again.

"Come on," she told Eugene, "We have some planning to do."


	22. The Cost of Freedom

**Note:** _I'm so sorry for the time it took to post this chapter! It's been back to school and everything, so I didn't really get time to write. But here it is, and I promise the next one is coming soon. Please, please leave a review, I'd really like to know what all of you think. I hope you enjoy!_

 **Chapter 22: The Cost of Freedom**

Jack watched as night swept over the forest they'd camped in for the night. Anna and Lucinda were sleeping, tightly wrapped in each other's arms inside the tent. He was standing guard, and Kristoff was staring into the dying embers of the fire they'd ignited to cook their dinner- two snow rabbits, that Kristoff had hunted.

"Are you okay?" he asked, turning his head to the side and eyeing Kristoff carefully. His eyes were downcast, and he didn't seem to have heard him.

"Kristoff?" he called.

"Mmh?"

"I asked if you were okay," Jack said patiently. He looked out at the darkness surrounding them, squinting his eyes. He would rather avoid any unpleasant encounters with Nightmares tonight.

"I'm fine," Kristoff said, looking up. "I was just wondering if-if we did the right thing."

Jack frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Kristoff averted his gaze, searching the dying fire again as if it contained a solution to all of their problems.

"I was wondering if we shouldn't have let Elsa send us away."

Jack's breath was knocked out of him, and he determinedly kept his back to Kristoff, trying to conceal his expression. In the fortnight since they'd left Arendelle, he'd done his best to not think of Elsa. The first week had been the hardest- they'd been on a boat, heading towards Denmark, and he'd had nothing to do except think about blue eyes and teasing laughter. Once they'd arrived, Jack had constantly been on guard. The news of Anna's disappearance from Arendelle was bound to travel to Pitch's ears, and the last thing they needed was to be found now- he'd done his best to keep Elsa out of his mind.

Until now.

Fearing his voice would sound strangled, he opted on staying silent.

"It's just… she needs us, you know? And sending us away is just so typically her, and we let her do it because Anna is pregnant-"

"Anna couldn't stay in Arendelle," Jack mumbled, still turning his back to Kristoff.

"Maybe but- haven't you thought that maybe this was all a way of getting us out of there? That she used Anna as an excuse to get us to safety? I mean, look around you, Jack. We are the ones she cares about most, and we're all away from Arendelle."

Jack gave in, turning around to face Kristoff.

"She wanted us to bring Anna to safety," he said firmly. He refused to have this conversation- he was barely stopping himself from flying towards Arendelle as fast as the wind could push him forwards.

"I couldn't see it when we were in Arendelle," pressed Kristoff, as if he hadn't heard him, "But now that I've got perspective- don't you see?"

Jack continued to stay silent, fiddling with his staff. Half of him wanted to block Kristoff's words- the other half was desperate for an excuse to return to Arendelle.

"This whole thing- the attack on New Year's, the towns destroyed, Rapunzel's kidnapping- it's all a trap. A trap that's closing in on Elsa, and she doesn't know how to break free so…"

"… she did what she does best," finished Jack. He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second before opening them again. Kristoff nodded.

"She sent the ones she loved away from her. To protect them."

Jack exhaled, looking up at the night sky. The vision of the Moon, that usually instantly appeased him, did nothing for him now.

"I promised Elsa I would come right back-"

"Jack, Corona is still another fortnight away- even a month, if the weather picks up. You might be too late."

"I won't be," he said firmly. Though he was doing a conscious effort to keep his feet anchored in the snow, a cold wind had picked up- a tell-tale sign that he wanted to go.

"You should sleep," he told Kristoff, pushing on the hand on his knee to get up. "We have a long journey ahead of us, that I'd like to keep as short as possible."

…

Gregory walked quickly towards the Council Room, closely followed by Eugene. When they arrived in front of the double-doors, Eugene pulled them open, to find Elsa, the Counsellors, and Eleanor inside. There was a shriek, that came from Eleanor as she ran towards him, before swinging her arms around his neck. He pressed her closer, burying his face in her neck, breathing in the perfume of her red curls. She leaned away to kiss him, before breaking away again- but still in his arms. And that was all that mattered.

"So?" asked Eleanor, looking back and forth between the both of them. Gregory stood up a bit straighter as he looked directly at Elsa.

"They're waiting for you, your Majesty."

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then cries of relief from Eleanor and the Counsellors. Elsa wrapped her arms around Eleanor for a second before disentangling from her arms and approaching Eugene and Gregory. She smiled, and- quite unexpectedly- swung her arms around the both of them, bringing their heads together.

"Thank you so much, to the both of you," she breathed.

"Trust me, we didn't do much," grinned Eugene, winking at his cousin-in-law, "They didn't need much convincing."

"You two should go change out of your travelling clothes," said Eleanor, wrinkling her nose, "You don't smell too good."

Eugene looked down at himself, and then at Gregory's attire. Both of them were drenched from the rain and melted snow- two weeks of travelling would do that to you.

The second Jack and the others had left, Elsa had insisted that they gather their troops for the battle that was to come- and they'd soon realized that their army was _nothing_ compared to the Southern Isles, who had tens of thousands of men- Arendelle barely had five thousand.

Elsa had asked Gregory and Eugene to travel the realm and stop in every remaining village, and ask her people to follow her to war- though she'd ordered not to force anyone to join. Eugene highly doubted that it would change much- but they had had to try.

And now they were back, and he was stunned at how many men he had brought back. He'd travelled to the north of Arendelle, deep into snowy mountains and unforgiving weather- and not one man had refused to come with them.

Not one.

There were at least twenty thousand, cramped in the soldiers' barracks, waiting for their queen to address them.

…

Elsa wasn't kidding herself: she knew that their numbers were very inferior to the Southern Isles'. But she was also very hopeful that soon, reinforcements from Corona would join her beginning of an army.

Maybe- just maybe- they had a fighting chance.

But this happy news still couldn't fill the hole in her heart she'd felt ever since Jack had passed through the gates of the castle. Every time she was in her room, her mind kept going back to memories- the Winter Spirit rushing into her room while she was getting dressed, a night sky full of stars, when she'd been high above the ground and safe in his arms, a cavern…

She smiled to herself, before remembering that right now, Jack was across a sea and far away. On the other hand, he was safer that way. She half-hoped that Pitch would attack while he was gone, though she knew it was foolish.

She was walking fast towards the barracks, descending rapidly the spiralling stairwell of the Entrance Hall when suddenly, she felt squeamish. She leaned against the wall. The Hall was spiralling around her, and she felt intensely dizzy.

"Your Majesty?" she vaguely heard one of the Counsellors say, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, though she didn't leave the support of the wall behind her back. She didn't know what was going on, but she couldn't be sick now- she had a speech to give, soldiers to meet-

"Elsa," she heard a feminine voice say, and she felt a rush of relief when she saw Eleanor's red curls as she felt her arms circle her waist and held her up. Slowly, her vision cleared, and the ground seemed solid again.

"Sorry," she said, still holding onto Eleanor, "I guess I'm coming down with a cold."

The counsellor nodded, but Eleanor looked suspiciously at her.

"You've been overworking, Elsa. The speech can wait, you should rest-"

"These soldiers have travelled across the whole realm to help me fight this war. I'm not going to make them wait."

She saw Eleanor cover a smile before she resumed walking briskly through the Entrance Hall and into the courtyard.

When she entered the barracks, she felt as if a sudden hush descended on the room. Her stunned eyes met thousands- and suddenly, she realized that she didn't know what to say.

Slowly, she walked onto the platform and stood facing all of them. Her throat was dry, and she felt a new wave of nausea coursed through her. She closed her eyes, blocking out everything. Slowly, her hand raised to her navel, and she touched her pendant, that had the shape of a snowflake. The pendant Jack had given her, what seemed like so long ago.

Suddenly, she felt as if he was right there, grinning his usual insolent grin, and flashing bright blue eyes. She opened her eyes, meeting the eyes of the soldiers, every one of them watching her.

"Gentlemen," she said. After all, most of them hadn't even picked up a weapon in their life. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you, though I hope you'll be tolerant- I don't know if I'll be able to remember all of your names before I'm fifty."

There was a ripple of laughter that spread across the room, and Elsa felt the trembling of her legs cease- when she spoke again, her words were louder, clearer.

"I don't have words to describe what I feel when I see all of you here, because you want to defend your country and… me."

Her words were met by silence, before she heard someone in the crowd shout:

"LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!"

"Well thank you," she said, smiling, amused, as another ripple of laughter spread across the room. She regained seriousness, as did the crowd. "I'd love to say that all of you will survive the battle that's coming, but that is a promise that I am not sure I will be able to keep. You are free to leave at any time. But before you do, I think you should know what we are up against."

The tension in the room was now palpable, and Elsa saw Eleanor smiling encouragingly from beside the platform.

"The Southern Isles and Arendelle have always had strained diplomatic relations, but we have never fallen into the horrible depths of war. That is something that my father, and my grandfather before him, tried to avoid at any cost." Elsa lifted her chin. "If there was one thing my father taught me, it was that war is pointless and that its cost in human lives is too high. A good sovereign only holds the good of his people as important, and it is a lesson I have tried to live by my whole life."

There were mutters of agreement in the crowd.

"But today, the Southern Isles have declared war on Arendelle. They have allied themselves with a powerful and dark man, who is after this." She swiped her hand through the air, and icy particles erupted into the air, forming a magnificent pattern that the soldiers soon recognized as a map of Arendelle, hanging over their heads. Enchanted gasps erupted from the crowd. Most of them had heard of their queen's powers, but had never seen it in person.

"Arendelle, and my powers. He hopes he can use them to spread devastation across our beautiful, snowy land; and I refuse to let him!" Her fists had become clenched in fists, her words now louder than ever. "War is something I have tried to avoid. But now it is upon us, and we have to meet this together, united in protecting our motherland!"

The soldiers shouted in agreements, stomping their feet in agreement, so that Elsa had to nearly shout to be heard by all of them.

"I was born here! I grew up here, with my sister by my side. This is where I felt loss, this is where I felt victory, and this is where I found love. I will not let anyone take our land from us. The cost of freedom is always high, but if we don't pay it, there is only one path that is open to us: the path of surrender and submission. And never, as long as I'm alive, will Arendelle be submitted to anyone, and even less so Southern barbarians!"

"Hear hear!" shouted the soldiers.

"Now, will you protect this land with your strength, your dreams, your body and your blood?"

"AYE!"

"Will you resist the invader, and pay that terrible cost of freedom?"

"AYE!"

The last echoes of their shouts hadn't drowned out that they were shouting again, and it took several seconds to understand what they were all saying.

"LONG LIVE QUEEN ELSA! LONG LIVE THE ICE QUEEN!"

…

The sun was high when Jack stopped and looked behind him. Snow was everywhere; it was falling around them, on the ground, in the trees… it painted a brilliant white landscape. Though Jack could fly above it, Kristoff was knee-deep in it, and the huge sleigh on which Anna and Lucinda were had difficulty advancing, no matter how much the Huskies pulled.

They were going even slower than he'd feared.

Suddenly, there was a flutter of wings, and Jack turned around- to find none other than Toothiana above him.

"Tooth!" he said, half-surprised, half-joyful, "How are you? How are the others?"

"Fine, we're fine- Jack, I've been looking for you everywhere, where have you _been_?"

"Travelling," he explained. "Elsa asked me to accompany her sister to Corona."

"So she's alone in Arendelle?" asked Tooth in disbelief. "Are you _insane_?"

"Hey!" Jack shouted defensively, flying to her height. He saw from the corner of his eye that Kristoff had sped up, and Anna was looking curiously up at them. "It'll be a quick journey, I'll be back in no time-"

"Yeah, seems like it," said a voice sarcastically from beneath them. Jack looked down to see Bunny, his boomerang slung over his back.

"Well if it isn't bright little ray of sunshine," grinned Jack, landing in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Tooth was worried about you," Bunny grumbled, and Jack's grin widened.

"Yeah, right. I'm sure _you_ were worried about me."

"In your dreams, Frost," said Bunny, though Jack thought he saw the shadow of an amused smile on the Easter rabbit's frowned face.

"Pitch is getting stronger, Jack," said Tooth in an urgent voice, fluttering down to them, "We can feel it; I feel like my powers have already begun to weaken."

"But no children have stopped believing in us," Jack objected, confused. Kristoff caught up with them, looking in disbelief at Bunny, who ignored him. Jack swallowed back a laugh. There were more urgent matters at hand.

"No but we're scared that he'll soon send his nightmares after the children again," explained Bunny. "And we all remember how close he got last time…"

Jack remembered all too well. That one light on the globe, Jamie's light, one single child that still believed, that- without knowing it- had had the fate of the world in his grasp.

"We're going to defeat him, guys," said Jack. "I don't doubt it for a second."

"He's stronger now," pointed out Bunny.

"But we've got someone stronger," said Jack, flashing them a grin. "The Ice Queen."

"Elsa?" asked Tooth.

Jack nodded. "She is going to kick the frustrated piece of shit's butt. I wouldn't worry if I were you."

"If she's anything like you, I don't feel reassured at all," grumbled Bunny. Jack chuckled.

"We have to go, Jack," announced Tooth, "We just thought we should warn you. We'll come back if there's any news."

Before she could fly away, Jack grabbed her hand.

"Could you maybe- check if Elsa's okay for me?"

Tooth frowned.

"Please?"

She sighed, defeated, and nodded. He thanked her for a smile.

Next second, his friends were gone, and he was left alone with Kristoff, Anna, Lucinda, snow and cold.

…

"It has been confirmed, my King. One of the Ice Queen's Counsellors, that is working for us, has just sent a raven informing us that Jack Frost has left Arendelle."

"Are you sure?" insisted Pitch, not letting the King answer. Hans watched attentively as the servant turned to face the pale-faced man. Maybe it was his imagination, but he was trembling.

Pitch had that effect on people.

"Yes, sir."

"You may go," said Hans' father, and the servant scurried out of the room as if he'd just seen the devil himself.

Which, maybe, he had.

"What does this mean for us?" asked the King. Pitch turned back to face them, and Hans' stomach lurched as he saw the triumphant grin on Pitch's greyish face.

"It means," he said, walking towards them, "that the Queen is alone. And there is nothing easier to prey on than a person that is alone."

…

Elsa closed the door of her bedroom behind her, shaking. The second she'd stepped down from the platform in the barracks, a wave of dizziness had come over her again, and nausea threatened to overwhelm her.

She fell onto her bed, curling into a ball. She touched her forehead- it wasn't feverish, which was a good sign, but what on earth could be the matter with her? This was the worst time for her to be sick. The only thing that could possibly make this world would be if she started sneezing. She'd have an army of small snowmen then. Maybe they could fight Pitch.

And with that ridiculous thought, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

When she woke up, her room was basking in moonlight. She straightened up. She searched for the reason she'd woken up, and saw that her window was wide open, the sheer white curtains blowing in.

"Hi Elsa," she heard a kind voice say, and she turned her head so fast that she fell off her bed in a tangle of covers.

"Tooth!" she exclaimed, straightening up, doing her best to keep her dignity. "What are you doing here?"

"Jack asked me to check on you," she explained, and Elsa felt her heart leap.

"You've seen him? How is he? How's Anna?"

"They're all fine," Tooth reassured her, "I think he misses you very much."

"I miss him too," she said, smiling sadly. She would give anything to have him by her side now.

Suddenly, she felt a horrible sensation in her throat and lurched into the bathroom.

"Elsa?" called Tooth in a worried voice, but she wasn't listening. She was leaning over the bathtub, retching. She heard the bathroom door open, and she felt Tooth's hands grasping her hair, pulling it out of her face. She rubbed Elsa's back as Elsa spilled out her last meal.

"Are you alright?" she asked when the vomiting had stopped. Elsa leaned back against the wall, savouring the cold of the blue tiles.

"I'm sorry," she said, hugging herself with her trembling hands, "I don't know what's the matter with me."

There was a silence before Tooth spoke again.

"Elsa… when did you have your- you know. Last period."

Her eyes snapped open to meet Tooth's violently purple ones.

"What?"

"Well- I suppose you and Jack have- made it official-"

"Are you suggesting that I might be…"

She couldn't even finish the sentence. Her throat had gone dry, and the trembling of her hands had doubled.

"It's not possible- we only- it happened twice-"

"That's all it takes," said Tooth, taking her hand.

"Oh God," said Elsa, raising a trembling hand to cover her mouth. "Oh God. This can't be happening."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and the both of them jumped. Elsa heard Eugene, Gregory and Eleanor's voice from behind it.

"I have to go," said Tooth, "But I'll come back soon to check on you. Are you going to be okay?"

"I- I don't know- I think I'm in shock-"

"Listen," said Tooth, as a knock sounded on the door again, "We're not sure yet. Maybe you're just late and this is a cold-"

The knocking was getting louder.

"Promise me you won't say anything to Jack about this. Promise me, Tooth!"

Something in Elsa's eyes made Tooth say:

"I promise."

Then, she was gone, and Elsa was left alone in her room, with the sound of her friends just behind her door, having no idea that-

That maybe she was pregnant.


	23. Oranges and Sacrifices

_**Note:** Thank you so much to all the people that reviewed, it truly does keep me wanting to write and finish this story... As always, please leave a review, and I really hope you like this chapter. Have a fantabulous day!_

 **Chapter 23: Oranges and Sacrifices**

" _What_?" asked Elsa as she pulled the door open, finding Eugene, Gregory and Eleanor on the other side. "What's the matter?"

"Are you alright?" asked Eleanor, looking concerned. Elsa nervously passed the sleeve of her dress against her mouth, in case there was still more traces of vomit around it.

"I'm fine. What's going on?"

She hid her hands from view, trying to hide their trembling. She saw Eugene's eyes flit to them briefly, before eyeing her suspiciously, as though he could see right through her. She avoided his gaze, concentration on Eleanor. She was clutching tightly Gregory's hand in her own.

"We were thinking- we have a plan of attack, and we have an army. Rapunzel wrote a letter to her parents so that they send troupes too… we were thinking that maybe it's time to set off."

"Set off?"

"Leave Arendelle. March the army all the way to the Southern Isles. Face Pitch and the king before they come to us," Eleanor breathed.

Elsa crossed her arms, her nails digging into the skin of her arm.

"Get Rapunzel," Eugene added. "I don't want to leave her in that wretched place a second more than necessary. We have the weapons, the men-"

"The men aren't trained," cut Elsa.

"We trained them on our way here, and we'll continue training while we travel to the Southern Isles."

"Jack told me to wait here," she argued. She didn't know why she was resisting them- apart from the fact that she didn't think she could face the wrath of the Southern Isles without Jack by her side.

"Elsa," huffed Eugene impatiently, taking a step closer to her. She lifted her chin proudly to meet his gaze. "Rapunzel is alone, surrounded by enemies. She sent us a letter, so I know she's alive but- God knows what she's enduring. If your army doesn't come with me, I'll ride to the Southern Isles alone."

His words were a promise that hanged in the air as his gaze searched her face, a furious, brazen look in them. She was just now noticing how thin he'd become.

"Well then," she said after a long pause, "I don't think I have much of a choice but to accompany you, cousin."

Eugene looked at her as if he couldn't believe he had heard correctly, before a huge smile- the first real one he'd worn since Rapunzel had disappeared- appeared on his face. He swept Elsa into his arms, lifting her feet off the ground as he gave her a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you," he whispered to her as she hugged him back, "I will never forget this."

…

Rapunzel woke up to dazzling sunlight that pierced through the curtains of her four-poster bed. She let the warm rays play on her face as she rose from a deep sleep. She rubbed her eyes, yawning, before sitting up and pulling the curtains back.

Her feet sank into the warm rug as she stood from the bed, dressed in nothing more than a white shift. She wandered to the mirror, picking up the brush and starting to undo the tangles in her hair.

When she'd finished, she went to the window, watching as the sun rose above the beautiful Southern gardens.

She didn't know how long she'd been at the Southern court, she'd lost track of time. After her agreement with Hans, she'd been allowed to roam freely the castle and the crowds, though she'd been escorted by at least five guards everywhere she went. She hadn't talked again to Eleanor's brother, who had promised he would help her escape the first morning she'd woken up in this wretched place, but she sometimes spotted him roaming around the grounds.  
She'd quickly figured out what kind of court this was. The intrigues of politic and dark schemes were thick in the atmosphere. Every lady was graceful and smiling, just as every man was gallant and honourable at first glance- but Rapunzel had quickly realized this was nothing more than a façade. A person who talked to you, smiling, about what they'd done during the day, was very likely to try to kill you the next day if they estimated you were too close to the King and his sons. It was a constant competition for the Southern royals' attention- every girl wanted to become the next princess, every man wanted to become friends with them. This meant that the princes could do no less than whatever they wanted, take mistress after mistress, without ever facing any consequences.

Rapunzel hated the illusions the castle was filled with- you could never know who to trust, who to believe…

A knock sounded on the door, drawing her out of her thoughts. She turned, her brown hair (that had grown several inches more and was now passing her shoulders) whipping around her. A bustling maid entered the room, carrying a tray.

"Hello mistress," said the maid as she entered the room, pushing the door closed with her back before putting the tray of food down on her desk. "You're awake early."

"I couldn't sleep," Rapunzel said, eyeing the food. She could see toasts covered with butter and milk, a pitch of milk and even a few-

"Oranges!" she exclaimed, advancing towards the tray and picking up the fruit. "How did you get these?"

"They grow aplenty here, mistress," explained the servant. "Do you not get them, where you're from?"

Rapunzel shook her head. Oranges were rare treats in Corona, and even rarer ones in Arendelle.

"The King has expressed his desire for you to come to the ball this evening," continued the servant as Rapunzel peeled the orange's skin. She was making the bed.

"A ball?" she asked, sitting down on the stool in front of the desk. "In what honour?"

"It is Prince Hans' birthday, mistress," she said. "Celebrations are always extravagant when the princes add a year to their lives."

"And why do they want me to come?" asked Rapunzel, her teeth sinking into the orange as the maid swung the door of the huge wardrobe open.

"I don't know, Mistress. The royals don't inform me of those things," she said, pulling out a blue dress, white lace spreading out on the rim of it.  
"No, I don't suppose they do," said Rapunzel as she stood up, leaving the half-finished orange on the plate. "This is beautiful," she breathed, approaching the maid and letting her fingers trace the silk of the design. It wasn't just blue, she realized, but a deep, royal blue, that reminded her of the blue of the sky just before the sun disappeared underneath the horizon.

"The King told me to put you in this dress, mistress," said the maid. "Before bringing you to him."

Her gaze met the maid's, who swiftly dropped her gaze. Rapunzel tried to swallow back the taste of fear that had suddenly come rushing.

This what was she'd been waiting for, she thought. She was a prisoner of war, not a guest at the Court, that was to enjoy the luxuries and leisure the castle offered. Surprisingly, Pitch hadn't come back to taunt or torture her, and she'd barely seen the royals. But she had been a fool to think they'd forgotten about her.

She nodded, and let the dress pull off her shift before dressing her up in skirts and corsets. The dress seemed to merge with her curves, as if it was a second skin. The maid then made her sit down in front of the mirror and pulled her hair up in an elegant hairstyle before adding kohl on her lashes, and rouge on her lips.

"You're beautiful, mistress," said the servant, curtsying. "I'll be waiting outside."

She scurried out of the room, the double oak doors swinging close behind her. Rapunzel stared at her reflection.

Were they going to kill her? Was she doomed to die without ever seeing Eugene again?

She lifted her chin, forcing her mounting fear down. She would not be scared of these bastards. If she was destined to die here, then so be it. She'd lived, since escaping her tower, a life filled with love and joy. If it was going to end here, today, then so be it.

She stood from the chair, brushing her skirts down. She threw a last look at her reflection.

"If death is what awaits me in battle, then I will die for my kinsmen and my country. I regret only to have but one life to give for my country."

She whispered the words over and over to herself, her family's, and Corona's, motto.

She breathed in and out, trying to slow the beating of her heart.

Then, she walked to the doors and opened them.

"Bring me to your King," she breathed.

…

They led her down twisted corridors she'd never been down in before, and finally led her to a part of the castle where the stones of the walls were black, and the only source of light were torches, lined on the wall. Rapunzel wondered if the sunrise she'd witnessed that very morning would be the last one she'd ever see.

There were two guards marching in front of her, their red uniforms brought out by the colour of the dark walls. Two guards were behind her, so that she was cornered. Her shaking hands grasped each other. She felt a cold breeze around her ankles as they descended deeper and deeper into the castle.

Finally, after what she felt was at least an hour of walking, she was ushered into a dimly lit room, and the door was closed shut behind her.

"Hello, sweet princess," she heard a deep voice say. She searched the room with her gaze, panic roaring in her chest, but saw no-one.

"You are unable to see me," said the voice of Pitch, a voice she would recognize anywhere. It seemed to come from every direction at once, his voices rebounding from the walls. "I am part of the darkness you see." She felt a touch on her shoulder, that traced her collar-bone, but when she spun around, there was no-one there. "Part of your fears," the voice whispered.

"I'm not scared of you!" she shouted, her voice echoing. The room was empty of furniture, which was a good thing, since there was scarcely enough light for Rapunzel to see her own hands.

"Oh, I do love it when they say that," said Pitch as he emerged from a corner of the room, his white skin tinged grey nearly glowing against the dark robes he was wearing. He was smiling- well, more like leering at her- his teeth as white as his skin.

"I sense your fear, little princess," said Pitch, "I always do."

"If you have brought me here to kill me," said Rapunzel, more bravely than she truly felt, "Then get on with it."

"Kill you?" said Pitch, looking genuinely surprised. "And why in Heaven's name would I want to kill you?"

"Is that not why I am here?"

Pitch laughed. It was a cold, high-pitched laugh that sent shivers down Rapunzel's spine. As Pitch came closer to her, she had to resist the urge to take a step back from him.

"You will not die today, little princess," he said, and she could feel his rotten breath on her face. He lifted a hand, and traced her cheekbone with a finger. "What a beautiful thing you are," he breathed. She shivered. She felt his hand dip under her chin, forcing her head up. She met his gaze bravely, a furious look in her eyes.

"I am not a thing," she said, "And get your hands off of me."

Pitch smirked as his hand went to touch her neck. Suddenly, she pushed hard against his chest, hard enough that he took a few steps back from her.

"If you have brought me here so that I would relieve your lust, sir, then you are wrong," she said, breathing furiously. "I refuse to be your toy. If you have something to ask or do, then do so. Otherwise, leave me in peace."

There was a pause, then Pitch laughed cruelly. She stared, trying to calm the trembling of her hands.

"You are truly delightful, my dear. Of course, you're right- we must resist temptation for the pleasures of the flesh, and concentrate on more important matters."

"I have no temptation to resist," she spat. Pitch acted as if he hadn't heard her, turning his back to her.

"Sit, princess," he ordered. Rapunzel looked behind her and saw a wooden chair that hadn't been there seconds before.

"I'd rather stand."

Suddenly, she felt a force knock her back onto the chair.

"Yesterday, as I was walking in the gardens of the castle, I saw a young man emerge from the stables, pulling two horses in tow. Quite a handsome young lad he was too- such a waste."

She frowned, confused. "Who are you talking about."

"Are you familiar with the name Emile Wyatt?"

She stiffened. Eleanor's brother- the foolish boy, had he tried to help her escape, when he'd been the one to tell her to wait for help?  
"No," she said firmly.

"Do not lie to me princess," said Pitch, "I tortured the boy, and he told me everything.

"I assure you, I don't know anything about an 'Emile Wyatt'. I've seldom talked to strangers since coming to court."

"He was trying to help you escape," said Pitch. "There's no use lying, princess."

Rapunzel didn't answer straight away. Her throat had gone dry.

"Is he dead?" she said finally, so quiet she wasn't sure Pitch could hear her.

"No," said Pitch, and Rapunzel nearly fell off the chair as a sweeping wave of relief coursed through her veins. "But he will be. He has been condemned to hang for treason by the King."

Rapunzel covered her mouth with her hand, as the relief that had surged through her body moments before disappeared as if it hadn't even been there to begin with.

"Unless," pursued Pitch, and Rapunzel quickly looked up, her breathing now fast and rapid, "You can give me the information I need."

"I know nothing," she said, "When you took me, the war between our two countries had not even truly begun. I don't know of any plan my cousins have hatched, and I am glad of it. I truly hope they succeed, and if I am still alive, I promise you- I will gut you myself."

Pitch laughed gleefully, as if a death promise was the only thing that could make his day.

"This is truly enchanting, princess," he said. "But I do know that you know nothing of when your cousins will strike. What I am truly interested in is your help."

"Why would I help you?" she spat.

"For Emile Wyatt's sake, of course. You should have seen how the boy resisted telling me he was linked to you until the very end. Quite loyal to you, I dare say."

"You bloody bastard," Rapunzel hissed, gripping the handles of the chair. "Have you no soul?"

"I'm afraid I don't," leered Pitch, "But my soul isn't the subject I want to discuss with you."

"Then what is?"

Pitch's face was mere inches from hers, his eyes glinting evilly.

"I want you to help me kidnap the Ice Queen."

…

"I would never betray my cousin," whispered Rapunzel.

"Queen Elsa is becoming a threat princess, and you know it," said Pitch. "Her powers are out of control."

"They are _not_!" shouted Rapunzel. "You know _nothing_ about her. Nothing!"

"I do know some things, little dove."

"I would rather die than let you take her powers as your own!"

"It is not her powers that I want."

There was a silence as they both looked into each other's eyes.

"Don't get me wrong," said Pitch, standing up again, "She is _very_ powerful, and my original plan was to get her under my control. But I'm afraid something has distracted me from her."

"What?" breathed Rapunzel, not knowing if she wanted to know the answer.

"Did you know that magical beings can sense magic? I've been able to sense your cousin's powers since the day she was born. Their aura is in the atmosphere, it has been so ever since she joined the world of the living."

There was a pause, and Pitch turned his back to her.

"Yesterday evening, something extraordinary happened."

Rapunzel waited with bated breath.

"No mortal could have felt it, but to me- it was as if the ground had begun to shake underneath my feet. The other Guardians will no doubt feel it as well in no time- I just felt it before them because I was listening, you see. Listening to Elsa's powers."

"What made the ground shake?" asked Rapunzel, though she thought she already knew the answer.

 _The fools,_ she thought, _the completely idiotic fools…_

"A new power has joined the others, and what an extraordinary one at that," breathed Pitch. He turned to face her again, his eyes closed, as if he was in complete ecstasy. "A power that I can already feel, even if the child hasn't been born yet."

He breathed in, and Rapunzel could tell he was listening to the magic, letting it sweep over him-

"The Spirit of Winter and the Ice Queen's child," he said, opening his eyes, "What destruction I could do, if I raised that child as my own-"

"So that's your plan," said Rapunzel, disgusted, "Keep Elsa locked up here until she gives birth, and twist her child into a dark, loathsome creature, until it's exactly like you?"

"How you read my mind, princess."

"I'll never help you!" she shrieked. "Never! You can kill a thousand men, and still, I would never, ever help you! You can torture me, cut off my limbs- go on, try!"

Pitch laughed again.

"We'll see, princess. We'll see."

…

Jack didn't know how much time had passed since he'd told Tooth to check up on Elsa for him. The days passed, all resembling each other as they trudged through the snow. But with each night that passed, Jack told himself he was a day closer to Elsa.

They'd made amazing time. Kristoff assured him that they had done a three-week journey in only a week and a half, and they were closer to Corona than ever. He was constantly flying ahead of the group, trying to catch a glimpse of Rapunzel's parent's castle.

Finally, as the sun set over their snow-covered mountain, Jack flew high above the trees- and he saw it.

"We'll be there tomorrow," said Kristoff, once Jack's feet had sunk into the snow and he'd told him what he'd seen. "Once Anna and Lucinda are safe, we'll go back to Arendelle."

"What do you mean, _we_?" asked Anna suddenly. They both turned around, Jack already brandishing his staff. Neither of them had heard her approach.

"Anna," said Kristoff, looking guiltily at Anna, "I was going to talk to you about it- it's just I think Elsa will need all the help she can get-"

"Of course I want you to go back to Elsa, you stubborn oaf!" said Anna, smiling as she threw her arms around Kristoff. "Did you really think I would want you to stay behind with me, where you're no use to anybody?"

Jack watched as Kristoff grinned down at his wife, tentatively putting a hand on her stomach. Anna was just beginning to show, a small bump protruding from her otherwise thin figure.

"Just come back to me alive, Kristoff Bjorgman. Your baby will want to meet you."

Kristoff leant in to kiss Anna, and Jack couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy- what he would give, in that precise moment, to hold Elsa in his arms…

He looked up at the moon, sending a silent wish up to the sky.

…

Jack walked behind Kristoff as they passed through the immense archway of the home of Corona's King and Queen. Lucinda was sleeping in the sleigh, warm under a pile of furs, but Anna was walking hand in hand with Kristoff.

They were escorted inside the castle, to a room with a roaring fire, and the promise that the King and Queen would be along shortly. Anna sat down in an armchair and extended her hands towards the fireplace, gratefully letting the warmth wash over her.

"Calm down Jack," she said. Jack was fidgeting, barely able to stand still. He could hardly resist the urge to fly out the closest window, but he had promised Elsa he would see her sister safely to Corona, and he would do the thing correctly.

The doors opened, and a brown-haired woman, a crown sitting on her head and dressed in a purple dress rushed in.

"Anna!" she cried, and rushed to the red-head, bringing her into a tight hug against her chest. "We're so glad you made it here safely!"

"Hi, auntie," smiled Anna into the shoulder of the queen. "I've missed you."

"Let me look at you," breathed the queen, holding Anna at arm's length and looking down at her stomach. Jack saw a taller man enter, white strands mixing with his otherwise chestnut hair.

"We heard the news you were pregnant," said the King, walking to Anna and pulling her into a warm hug. "We couldn't believe it."

"Not exactly the best time, is it?" said Anna. "I can't go and save Rapunzel with the rest of them."

A dark look crossed the king and queen's eyes, and Jack was suddenly reminded that Rapunzel had been taken from them once before. How agonizing it must be, for their little girl to be taken from them once again.

"Rapunzel can take care of herself," said the King, putting a comforting hand on the Queen's shoulder. "And anyway, I'm more worried about the men standing in Eugene's way when he'll go to get her back."

Kristoff grinned. "At least one thing we can agree on then, your Majesty."

"Kristoff!" boomed the King joyfully. "I must say I've missed you."

They shook hands, and the Queen hugged him.

"Eugene has been sending you letters then?" asked Kristoff.

"Yes," nodded the Queen, "We've sent our best men to travel to Arendelle last week. They'll be there in no time."

"I must go as well," said Kristoff. "Do what I can to get your daughter back."

"Of course," nodded the King. "Do not worry, Anna will be safe with us."

Kristoff bowed, let the Queen hug him goodbye, and took his leave. Jack followed him down the staircases of the beautiful Coronian castle, and soon enough they were in the courtyard, Kristoff already saddling a horse.

"Don't wait for me, Jack," he said as he mounted his horse. "Go back home."

Jack nodded gratefully.

"I'll see you soon, Kristoff," he said.

"Next time we'll see each other, it'll probably be on a battlefield. It will be an honour to fight by your side."

Jack grinned.

"Be careful what you say, Bjorgman. A battlefield with the Spirit of Winter is a living hell, for allies and enemies."

Kristoff laughed. "Looking forward to it."

Jack gave him one last grin. Then, he kicked off the ground, and soon he was above the clouds, the frozen winds tearing at his clothes and messing up his hair but he didn't care one bit as he soared as quickly as he could towards Arendelle.

Towards Elsa.

…

Elsa looked around at the Council Room. Tooth was there; she had come back to check on Elsa, and Elsa had asked her to join them in the Council Room. Eleanor, Gregory and Eugene were there. She racked her throat. She was thirsty and hungry, and wondered briefly when was the last time she'd had a real meal.

"We won't wait a day longer," she announced. "Tooth has told me that there is a way to bring our army to the Southern Isles."

"North- Santa, whatever you want to call him- is a very creative Inventor. He's invented Snowballs that can transform into portals to anywhere you want to go."

"We know Rapunzel is at the Summer Palace of the Southern Isles," said Eugene stepping forward. "Could it take us there?"

Tooth nodded.

"I can ask North to get us all of them, and we can easily send your army there."

"That would save months of journey," said Elsa. "Our men will arrive at the Southern Isles their energy intact, not having suffered through a long journey. This could play in our favour. It could win us the war."

"But Elsa…" said Tooth, "Are you sure you don't want to wait for Jack?"

Elsa bit her lip, averting her gaze from the fairy, her violet eyes trying to tell her something.

"My cousin is a prisoner of the Southern Isles. If I think there's a chance I can rescue her now, then our army leaves tomorrow."

The words felt as if they were scalding her throat as she forced them out. She crossed her arms, hugging herself, as Tooth nodded.

"Very well," she breathed, looking as if she very badly wanted to argue. "I'll go and tell North what you have decided."

"Thank you Tooth," she thanked her, and Tooth nodded again before flying out the window.

"It's decided then," said Eleanor. "We leave tomorrow."

…

Elsa closed the door of her bedroom before walking to her bed, and slowly bending to sit on it. She stared at the wall opposite her.

 _Jack's going to kill me,_ she thought. _And I wouldn't blame him._

She closed her eyes briefly, and for a second she imagined that she was in his arms, under the covers of her bed, talking and laughing… She opened her eyes again and slumped back onto the bed.

The window slammed open, and she sat up quickly. Jack flew into the room, and Elsa's eyes widened, hardly daring to believe it.

"Jack," she whispered.

"Hello, Elsa," he said, and then she was sauntering from the bed and ran into his arms.

"Jack!" she repeated. "Jack- I've missed you so much-"

She looked up at his blue eyes that had haunted her sleep. Jack didn't say anything, didn't even render her embrace- he was simply looking down at her.

"Jack? Are you alright?"

Then, she felt his arms tighten around her waist. He leant in, and his mouth met hers. She melted into the kiss, her hands sliding to his chest.

"I've missed you," she said between kisses, the kissed becoming hungrier. "I've missed your touch-"

She broke away from the kiss, leaning back, watching him.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Just… glad to be here, Elsa," said Jack. It suddenly struck Elsa that his eyes were empty of anything- where they were usually filled with furious desire or tenderness… there was nothing.

"Is Anna safe?" she asked shakily. There was something very wrong, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Anna?" he said, pulling her to him by her waist. This time, though, she didn't lean into him.

"My sister," she said. "Anna."

"Ah yes," he said, "Don't worry, she's safe."

The hands that were touching her were Jack's hands, the very hands she had longed for more than once in the past weeks, the voice that was talking to her was Jack's voice, and yet…

"Do you still have the present I gave you for Christmas?" she asked suddenly. She hadn't given Jack any presents for Christmas. Maybe she was being paranoid, but a terrible suspicion had taken hold of her-

"Of course."

There was a silence, and suddenly she could see it all over again; the ballroom, corpses around them, and Pitch's twisted version of Jack, telling her he could never love her-

"Let go of me," she said icily. "Now."

Something flitted in Jack's gaze-

"Glad you've caught on, Elsa. Must say I'm a terrible actor."

"Let go of me," said Elsa again, "Or I swear I'll kill you with my bare hands."

Jack's- Pitch's- hands did nothing of the sort, instead tightening around her.

"I'm afraid you're going to come with me," said Pitch, his face- using Jack's face as his own- inching from her owns. She felt sick.

"I would rather die," she said, before spitting in his face.

"You _are_ amusing, darling. Don't fret, your death can be arranged- just not yet."

Then, the window slammed open again, and Pitch turned- the distraction was enough, and Elsa lifted her knee, kicking him in the crotch. Pitch howled in pain, letting her go, and she stumbled away from him, falling down to the ground-

But was caught just in time. She looked up, and icy blue eyes met her own.

"Jack," she whispered. This time, there could be no doubt. He held her tightly, his eyes filled with a fury of the likes she had never seen before- all of it aimed at Pitch, who was still disguised as Jack. Their identical eyes met.

"How dare you," Jack whispered. "How _dare_ you come here?"

"You interrupted such an adorable moment, Jack," said Pitch, "I was just making the most of your Queen here. She thought I was you, you see. Quite anxious to get me into her bed, I must say. And I would have enjoyed bedding her, Jack- she _is_ a beautiful creature, don't you agree?"

"Go," said Jack, his voice trembling with uncontrolled rage. One arm was wrapped around Elsa, the other held his staff so tightly Elsa thought his fingers couldn't get any whiter even if he tried to die of cold. "Go before I kill you, right here, right now."

Pitch (who still hadn't transformed back into himself), stretched his arms wide. There was a silence, and Elsa, suddenly, felt an immense terror wash over her.

"Give it your best shot," whispered Pitch.

For a second, the three of them stood there, as immobile as statues, as if time itself had stopped. Then, everything happened very fast.

Jack pushed Elsa onto the bed, before swinging his staff violently towards Pitch, and deadly spikes of ice rushed towards him- before disintegrating into dust. Pitch tightened his fists, and dark sand took form between his hands- he threw the dark dust at Jack.

"NO!" screamed Elsa, but Jack dodged. She stood up, determined to intervene, but Jack was already swinging his staff again, his fury and hatred turning into weapons of ice and soon the both of them were locked in a deadly dance, so that Elsa couldn't try to hurt Pitch without risking hurting Jack as well.

Jack flew into the air so quickly her eyes could barely follow him, and he landed behind Pitch- ice tore through the air, all aiming to pierce his heart, but Pitch had turned around and all of the ice fell at his feet. Then he was throwing balls of sand at Jack, balls after balls after balls, and Jack was making ice appear, blocking the sand from reaching him, and Elsa was watching, terrified of what would happen if Pitch managed to get past his defences-

Then, Jack's staff fell to the ground, and Jack was yelling in pain. Elsa saw that sand had fallen on his hand, and that it was blistering.

"Warmth," said Pitch. "The best way to harm a Winter Spirit don't you think?"

Jack fell to his knees, holding his wrist as he bent over. Pitch sprinkled sand above his back, and Jack was visibly barely resisting crying out again.

"Stop!" shrieked Elsa. "Stop it!"

"Hear that, Jack?" said Pitch, just loud enough so that Elsa could hear him. "Elsa here is _worried_ about you."

Pitch kicked Jack in the stomach, before blowing more sand his way. Soon, angry blisters were appearing on his face-

"STOP!" screamed Elsa, and she dimly felt tears rolling down her cheeks. "Stop it, I beg you, I'll do anything-"

"Anything?" said Pitch, turning to face her. Elsa's hands were trembling as she resisted the urge to run to Jack with all her might.

"Anything," she repeated, her eyes fixes on Jack, who was moaning in pain. She didn't know what that sand did, but it couldn't just be superficial burns.

"Very well," said Pitch, and Elsa saw that he was smiling. She resisted the urge to shudder. He stretched a hand towards her, his palm open.

"Then you'll come with me."

"No," croaked Jack. "No, Elsa-"

Elsa determinedly did not look at him, instead keeping her eyes fixed on Pitch's.

"Yes," she breathed. "I'll come with you."

"Admirable!" Pitch said, and Elsa hated seeing cruelty in Jack's face, "I've always wondered how humans' minds worked, with love and sacrifice as a true motivation."

"You were human once too," whispered Elsa as Pitch took a step closer to her.

"That was a very long time ago, Ice Queen," said Pitch. "I have forgotten, and it is better this way."

Jack moaned again, and Elsa's gaze flitted to him.

"Pitch- take me, instead-"

"You are of no interest to me," spat Pitch. "I am much more interested in the girl born of ice and snow."

Then, faster than a blink, Pitch lurched forward and suddenly Elsa's hand was in his and they were spiralling into darkness.


	24. Rotten Souls

**Note:** _There are very dark themes ahead. I_ _'_ _m sorry if what you_ _'_ _re going to read shocks or offends you, but I promise it will get better soon! Although this is hard to read I hope you still like this chapter, and please leave a review. Now more than ever, I want to know what you think. Bear with me, I promise this is as bad as it gets! A late Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates Christmas, and have a fantastic day!_

 **Chapter 24: Rotten Souls**

Blind terror.

That was what Elsa felt as the last glimpse of Jack, screaming _NO_ , disappeared from her vision. Suddenly, there was nothing underneath her feet. She could feel nothing solid except for Pitch's hand gripping her arm painfully. It was as if someone had suddenly pushed her into a long black hole that had no end.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, she felt ground beneath her feet, that appeared so suddenly underneath her that her knees buckled. Before she could fall, Pitch threw her forward, and she landed on the floor. She looked around her, though she still felt faint, and the room around her was spiralling. She felt as if she was about to be sick.

"Elsa!"

Suddenly, there were tender arms around her, and teardrops that were not her own were sliding down her cheeks.

"Rapunzel?" she whispered, barely able to believe it. Her brown hair was a few inches longer, but it was her, her stunning green eyes wide with worry. And as horrible as their situation was, Elsa was suddenly smiling, wider than she'd had in weeks. "Rapunzel! You're alive!" And then they were hugging, holding closely to each other- but there was something wrong. Elsa pulled back, surveying Rapunzel. She looked down and gasped in shock.

"Rapunzel," she whispered, horror-struck, not believing what she was seeing.

Where Rapunzel's right hand should have been, was a mangled, bloody lump. It looked like Rapunzel's hand and arm had been crushed before someone had violently swung an axe to her wrist to separate her hand from her body. "What have they done to you?"

"Nothing that I don't deserve," said Rapunzel, crying silently.

"What do you mean?" frowned Elsa.

"Your cousin here told me where were your chambers," said Pitch with an amused cruelty in his voice. They both jumped. In their joy of finding each other, they had forgotten he was there.

Pitch stood, his back to the stonewall. They were in a circular room, torches on the walls lighting it- no windows let sunlight in, so Elsa had no idea what time it could be. She suddenly felt a wave of claustrophobia- this reminded her irresistibly of when Hans had captured her, and she'd been in a cell, her hands locked in a metal cage, rendering her powerless and helpless-

Her hands.

They weren't encaged now.

"Get away from us," said Elsa, cold rage sounding in her voice. She stood up, brushing dust and soot from her dress. "Let us go, or I'll swear I'll-"

"Use your powers on me?" finished Pitch, a malicious glint in his eye. "You can't, little queen- Darkness is in every single one of these stones. I made this cage myself- and fear surrounds you. You control your powers with love, am I right?"

Elsa stared at him speechlessly.

"If you use your powers on me now- Well, maybe, you'll succeed. But maybe you'll lose control over them… why, you could kill your traitorous little cousin."

Rapunzel sobbed harder, turning her face towards the wall, away from Pitch, as if she could hide her tears.

"What do you want?" said Elsa quietly. Her hands were closed into fists, nails digging into her palm.

She could feel it now. She felt as if every happy thought, every remanence of the love she held for Jack, Anna, Rapunzel, Eugene, all of Arendelle… it was gradually leeching out of her, and with it- the control she had over her power. She shut her eyes briefly, and an image came to her- the one of a teenage girl, crouched into a ball in her room, the door, windows, even the wall frozen, and tiny snowflakes wafting through the air.

"The child you bear."

Pitch's words had been soft, but as Elsa opened her eyes to meet his, she had never felt so threatened. It was as if his words floated around her, strangling her. Before she could process what he'd said, however, Pitch was gone, and there was the sound of the lock closing behind him.

…

Jack flew through the corridors. He felt as if he'd never flown quicker in his whole life, the portraits and suits of armour blurs around him.

He slammed into the double door that led to the Council Room, wanting to find anyone, anything- he needed help, he needed help _now_ , Elsa was with Pitch and he had let it happen and he needed help-

"Jack!" said a shocked voice, and Jack nearly slammed into Eugene as he skidded to a stop in mid-air.

"Eugene!" Jack cried out in relief, "Eugene- Elsa, she's-"

"What are you doing here?"

The question didn't reach Jack's ears- he felt as if he couldn't hear anything over a faint buzzing sound that seemed to overwhelm his senses. He vaguely noticed two people, that he recognized as Eleanor and Gregory, looking concerned.

"I just came back- Pitch, in Elsa's room- he took her-"

"What?" Eugene said, his eyes widening in horror.

"PITCH TOOK ELSA!" roared Jack, and then he had sunk onto his knees, and buried his head in his hands. His wooden staff fell with a clunk to the floor.

"But- but how is that possible-"

"He was in her room," said Jack, not lifting his head from his palms, "I didn't arrive in time- I tried to protect her, but he attacked me with something and it was so painful- and, Eugene, I screamed and Elsa was crying and she went with him-"

He felt Eugene's hands beneath his elbows pulling him up to his feet.

"She went with him to protect me," he whispered. "She's- she's so _stupid_ -"

Then, he felt Eugene's arms around him, pulling him tightly in, hugging him.

"When Rapunzel told them she was Anna," said Eugene hoarsely. "The same exact thought ran through my mind. I kept thinking… 'If she dies, I swear I'll kill her'."

Jack didn't answer him. He felt as if he'd gone completely numb.

"But Jack- Rapunzel is so brave, and that's what I love about her. And that's what you love in Elsa too."

Jack's head whipped up at the word _love_ , so that their eyes met. Eugene noticed, and gripped his shoulders.

"You do love her," he murmured, "Don't you?"

For a second, an image flashed behind Jack's eyelids- a courtyard, covered in snow- A pair of bright blue eyes that he was about to leave behind- and instinctively, he'd known what she'd been about to say, and he'd stopped her from saying those three words, because he'd been afraid that they would be a goodbye-

"Yes," Jack whispered. "Yes, I do."

And he knew what he had to do. Not paying any heed to Eleanor and Gregory who were looking horrified, Eleanor's hand covering her mouth, he bent down and picked up his staff.

"I'm going," he said, and his voice wasn't shaking anymore. "I'm going to get her."

"We all are," said Eugene. "We'll save the both of them. The army is ready- we just need-"

"Us?" interrupted voices, and Jack turned. In front of him was North, beaming down at him- Tooth and Bunny were smiling next to him, and Sandy bounced around Jack for a full minute.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, stunned.

"We heard your army's ready," grinned Bunny. "Did you think you would have fun without us?"

Jack was silent for a moment. Then he sprinted forward, lurching into Bunny's firm grip. Tooth and North joined the hug. Jack was trembling, with fear for Elsa and gratitude to his friends. He felt as if a thousand different emotions were coursing through his body; fear and adrenaline, desperation and hope; intense happiness swept through him at the same time as anguish did- but above all, the fierce realization that he loved someone so deeply that if he could die, he would give his life for her. Without a second of hesitation. He wanted nothing more than to have Elsa in his arms, her lips pressed firmly against his.

Eugene was gaping at them. It occurred to Jack that out of all the Guardians, he'd only seen North, and that only once- now he was standing before all of the Guardians, the incarnation of his childhood. If the situation hadn't been so desperate, he would have teased Eugene endlessly.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" smiled Tooth, a small reproving tone in her voice.

"Right," said Jack. "Eugene, this is Tooth, the Tooth fairy, Sandy, the Sandman, you've already met North, of course, and this is-"

"The Easter Rabbit," he said faintly.

"Eugene," said a faint voice, and Jack turned to Eleanor. Her hair, as bright red as he remembered it, was reflecting the firelight. She was staring at Eugene, a concerned look in her eyes. "What's going on?"

Eugene blinked.

"I think it's time to get my wife and her cousin," he answered.

…

Elsa wiped her tears angrily. It was no use crying now. All that she could do now was wait for Pitch to come back-

 _And let him take my child._

Elsa put a hand over her still-flat stomach. She had barely begun to accept that a baby was growing inside her, Jack's and hers, and it hadn't even occurred to her that the baby would have powers like her own and Jack's, or even eventually be more powerful than the two of them combined-

And if Pitch did take the child and raised it as his own, what kind of monster would it become?

Rapunzel was crouched into a ball, her head on Elsa's knees, quietly sobbing. Elsa didn't have it in her to blame her for the mess she was in. She didn't know what she'd do if Jack had been threatened.

 _Not betray your own cousin,_ hissed a voice inside her head, and Elsa instantly hated herself. She wouldn't blame Rapunzel. She refused to.

Now, she had to find a way out.

But she felt so weak. What Pitch had said was true- she was barely stopping herself from being swallowed up by despair. She felt trapped, as if there was no escape possible, the walls of her prison coming closer around her-

She couldn't sleep. She knew that if she closed her eyes, she would be in that room again, standing, feeling spikes against her bare arms, desperately trying to stop the burning ice inside her core from spreading against the walls-

She swallowed back a sob as her thoughts returned to the baby. Would it look like Jack? Would he or she have the same blue eyes, and a shock of white hair? Or would it have her blonde hair?

"Rapunzel," she whispered, and Rapunzel rose up, her green eyes meeting Elsa's blue, desperate ones. "Rapunzel, I can't have this baby."

"What do you mean?"

"If it has Jack's and my powers combined-"

"You don't know that-"

"Why else would Pitch want my baby?" she asked, still whispering, warily eyeing the door. She didn't want guards to overhear. "Could you imagine, a child with that kind of power that loves Pitch- I don't even want to."

"What do you think you can do?" said Rapunzel, clutching the arm where her hand was missing. "Tell the baby to go away?"

Elsa started looking around frantically, searching for something, anything-

"If I find a weapon-"

"What do you think you're going to do?" asked Rapunzel sharply. Elsa bit her lip, not daring to make eye-contact with her cousin.

"If I die," she whispered, so quietly she didn't know how Rapunzel could hear her, "The baby will never be able to harm anyone-"

"Elsa!" cried out Rapunzel, horrified, and Elsa immediately clapped a hand on her mouth, smothering her scream.

"Be quiet!" she whispered angrily. "Do you want them to hear us?"

Rapunzel lowered Elsa's hand from her mouth.

"Do you even hear yourself?" she hissed.

"Right now, inside me, there's a person that could destroy everyone we care for, if Pitch gets his way-"

"Elsa," said Rapunzel, shaking her head furiously. "Please stop-"

"I'm thinking about Anna, Kristoff, their _child_ , Eugene-"

"You're doing exactly what your parents did to you!" Rapunzel said, visibly stopping herself from screaming at Elsa, "Thinking that that child will be a danger-"

"It _will_ be-" hissed Elsa, "You've seen what Pitch is capable of. I can't- I won't- give that kind of weapon to him."

"You're talking about your _baby_ -"

"Don't you think I know that?" whispered Elsa, swallowing back tears.

"There are no weapons to kill yourself with," retorted Rapunzel, "And anyway I won't let you."

"I have ice powers," said Elsa, "And you only have one hand."

"You can't use your powers here, and I only need one hand to slap you back to your senses-"

Before Rapunzel could finish, the door creaked open. Instantly Elsa whipped her head around, already bracing herself for the tall dark figure that would greet her-

But it wasn't Pitch in the doorway. In front of her was someone she'd never thought she'd see again, someone she'd promised herself to kill if she did see him again. She gaped at the red-headed prince.

"Hans," she breathed.

Hans looked hurriedly behind him before entering their prison, closing the door smoothly behind him.

"Don't you dare take a step forward, you bastard-" snarled Elsa. He didn't, and something flashed in his eyes, something she couldn't quite place- resentment? Guilt?

"It's okay Elsa," whispered Rapunzel tentatively, "He's been sneaking in food for me. I'd have starved a thousand times over if it weren't for him."

"I brought bandages, for your hand," Hans said, whispering.

"Don't you know who that man _is_?" asked Elsa, standing up and standing in front of Rapunzel, protecting her.

"He won't hurt me, Elsa," said Rapunzel, grabbing Elsa's hand with her free one. "He's been helping me."

"And why would you do that?" spat Elsa, this time talking directly to Hans.

"I don't think what my father is doing is okay," said Hans.

"Really?" she said sarcastically, "You mean asking the help of a maniac to conquer a country that did nothing to do, cutting off hands and holding people prisoner? I'm so grateful that your conscience has caught up with you."

"I know that I can't say anything that would make you believe how sorry I am-"

"For trying to kill Anna?" she snapped.

"I wasn't the one who injured her," he retorted.

"Well, you didn't do anything to help, did you?"

"Elsa," interrupted Rapunzel, "Elsa, please stop. I know he's done some unforgivable things but (she raised her voice, as Elsa had looked about to interrupt) he's helped me these past weeks. Please. We need all the help we can get."

Elsa bit her lip, refraining from saying anything more. After a moment of tense silence, Hans stepped forward, towards Rapunzel. Elsa's body tensed as he gently took hold of Rapunzel's mangled arm, but he only took out a clean cloth out of his pocket, and gently cleaned the blood.

"I disinfected it last time, so I don't think you'll have any infection," he whispered, "I'm sorry I can't make you a bandage, but Pitch will know that someone's helping you."

"And God forbid you put yourself in harm's way," Elsa muttered, but Hans ignored her.

"I know about your baby," he said, looking up at her. Elsa's mouth tightened, and she clenched both her hands tightly together. "I heard you both argue through the door."

"Please tell her to stop this," sighed Rapunzel.

"I'm not going to tell you the plans Pitch has for that child," said Hans, his eyes flickering down to her stomach, "It's better that you not know."

Elsa buried her head in her hands. She could no longer keep the tears at bay, and she let them submerge her. She sobbed hard in her hands. When Rapunzel tried to touch her, Elsa shrugged off her touch, and retreated to the corner of the dungeon. She could barely hear Hans above the dull roaring sound in her ears.

"I have something that can help you," she heard him whisper. She turned back to face him.

He put his hand in his pocket, and fished out what looked like a plant, with a white flower on it.

"This will make your body start contractions," said Hans. "The baby will leave your system."

"Hans!" said Rapunzel disbelievingly.

"Mix it with water. I can't promise you you'll live through it, but you _will_ have a miscarriage."

He handed her the plant, and she looked down at the small white flower. It looked beautiful. If she'd seen it in a forest, she would never have imagined what kind of poison it contained.

"I'm sorry," said Hans, looking down at her, and something in his voice made her believe he meant it. "Truly."

"Rapunzel," she whispered, barely able to talk through the lump in her throat, "Please, stop. There's nothing you can do to change what I've decided. I won't let Pitch have my baby."

"Elsa, I beg you," said Rapunzel, and Elsa saw she was crying too, "They'll come to our rescue, I can feel it. You mustn't lose hope."

"I can't take that chance," said Elsa, and she sank slowly to her knees, holding tightly the flower in her hand. "Please, Rapunzel."

There was a pause. Then, Rapunzel's hand reached for Elsa's, and gently took the flower.

"Bring me some water, Hans," she said, as she held onto Elsa's hand and the flower tightly. Hans did so, bringing a dirty glass filled with water, and a spoon. Her hand trembling, Rapunzel reached for the glass and gently put it on the floor, before letting the flower drop down to the water. With the spoon, she gently crushed the petals, so that they blended with the water. When she was finished, she took the glass in her hand. Elsa lifted her head, and took it, looking at the contents of the glass, her gaze empty of emotion. She felt as if her whole being had gone numb.

"Elsa," said Rapunzel, but before she could try again to change her mind, Elsa grabbed the glass full of the poisonous herb.

She paused.

Then, she swallowed all of it in one go.

…

Dusk fell on the castle of Arendelle, and Jack watched the sun as it began its descent towards the horizon. He wasn't paying any attention to the courtyard below, though what seemed like a few thousand soldiers were filing into it. He was barely stopping himself from flying towards the Southern Isles as fast as he could, but he knew that Pitch would be waiting for him. And though he wasn't scared of Pitch, he wouldn't be any use to Elsa dead.

He looked down, and swallowed back a smile.

Elsa sure had been busy while he was gone.

The soldiers all had a determined look on their faces, as if they were completely unafraid, and would face even death to save their Queen. Eugene had told Jack that when he'd announced Elsa's kidnapping, there had been an uproar.

 _You did make yourself popular, didn_ _'_ _t you Snowflake?_

His mind flashed back to the pain Pitch had inflicted onto him, and how Elsa had given herself over to Pitch. Of course, he would have done the same for her, and without hesitation, but- he wished, in that instant, that she didn't love him as much as he loved her.

She would be safer.

He risked another look down. North, Bunny, Tooth and Sandy were in deep conversation beside the gate, Sandy nodding fervently. He had forgotten- almost- how mad he was supposed to be with North. But all that seemed so far away, so surreal, now that Elsa was gone-

 _I_ _'_ _m going to get her back_ , he thought firmly. _And we_ _'_ _ll be together again._

He thought about the cave, or that night, when she emerged from the bathroom, clothed in nothing that was appropriate for a queen. Though even near naked, she'd succeeded in being elegant. He thought of the way she kissed him, as if she couldn't suppress her passion- the sensation of her hand in his- he thought of how she'd looked, standing in the middle of a devastated village, rain pounding around them-

"Jack?" asked a soft voice, and his eyes jerked open. Tooth had flown up to join him on the roof, her deep purple eyes scrutinizing him anxiously. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, his throat dry from not having spoken a word since the Council Room.

"Yes," he said, "Just worried about Elsa."

"Pitch won't hurt her," she whispered, "He needs her."

"You don't know that," he breathed, shaking his head and averting his gaze.

"Jack-" Tooth started, and something in her voice made him look back up at her, "Jack, there's something you need to know. About Elsa."

"What?" he said, feeling a wave of anxiety at her words. "What is it?"

"I promised her I wouldn't tell you but under the circumstances-"

"Just tell me Tooth, please," he said, his voice higher than usual as he gripped his staff.

"A few days ago, I came into her room and- well, I found her being sick, and she told me-"

His heart gave a lurch, and he grabbed Tooth's elbows, tightening his grip without even realizing it.

"Is she- no-"

Tooth nodded, and Jack felt as if he was soaring and drowning at the same time- barely able to breathe, he managed to whisper, his eyes wide-

"Is she pregnant?"

When Tooth nodded again, Jack found that he was momentarily speechless.

"But- I didn't even know that was possible- I mean I'm not even technically _alive_ -"

"You don't need to be alive to create a child, Jack," smiled Tooth. "If you love Elsa and she loves you-"

"But that means…" Jack gripped his staff, and didn't realize that the roof was freezing underneath his feet. An unspeakable terror suddenly had complete control over him, and he could barely stop himself from shaking. "Does Pitch know?"

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I asked Sandy, and he told us that it was possible. After all, a child whose parents are the Spirit of Winter and the Ice Queen- it would be a new kind of magic, one powerful enough to upset the balance of things-"

"So that's why," said Jack, "That's why he took Elsa."

Before Tooth could say anything more, Jack had flown down to the courtyard, his feet sinking into the snow as he looked around for Eugene. When he found him, he streaked towards him, landing a few inches from him.

"Jack, for goodness' sake," hissed Eugene, trying to remain inconspicuous. "I can't talk to you in front of thousands of people that can't see you."

"A few of them might," Jack said, throwing a look at the soldiers. Maybe he'd imagined it, but he thought he'd felt a few bewildered looks thrown his way. "Eugene, we have to go."

"As soon as the sun sets, Jack," said Eugene, "North came with hundreds of snowglobes. We'll materialize right outside the palace and surround the Southern castle while they're all sleeping. We'll observe a little, and we'll attack tomorrow night."

Jack shook his head. "I can't wait that long, Eugene," he said.

"You have to," he said. "If we want to succeed in taking the palace and saving Rapunzel and Elsa-"

"I'll go in on my own then," said Jack. "One person inside the castle, and I'll look for them."

"Jack," said Eugene, "I want to get Rapunzel back too. But if we want to have a chance of success, we need to plan this."

Jack clenched his teeth together. He knew Eugene was right, of course, but his heart wouldn't- couldn't- listen to reason. Elsa was somewhere, in danger-

"Are you ready to go?" asked a booming voice and Jack turned to face North. "The yetis are. We can throw the snowglobes now, and your soldiers go through them."

"How are you going to explain the magical snowglobes?" asked Bunny.

"We told them it was a scientist who invented them. A certain Edison. It's not like they're going to check either way."

 _Edison._

Another flash, another memory to torture him- a music was playing, and they were dancing-

 _"_ _It was a present. For my coronation. One of the first ever made; they can_ _'_ _t be bought anywhere yet, the inventor- Edison, I think he_ _'_ _s called- insists on perfecting it._ _"_

 _"_ _Do you often ask people to dance when you don_ _'_ _t even know how to dance?_ _"_

"Let's go," said Jack.

…

When Elsa woke up, the dark room around her was spiralling at top speed. Her body heaved, and she threw up on the dungeon floor.

She dimly heard a cry of relief, and felt Rapunzel's arm swing around her.

"Thank god," she said, near-crying, "I thought you'd- Thank god you're awake!"

"The baby?" Elsa croaked. Rapunzel let go of her, dropping her gaze.

"Hans took it away," she said, barely whispering.

Elsa looked down at her dress. The blue had become red with blood, and she could feel dried blood on her legs.

Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to scream, as loudly as she could, as if she could murder those who had done this to her, as if she could somehow scream loud enough for the pain and hurt to go away.

"The damn plant couldn't kill me along with it, could it," she said. She could feel tears fall down her face.

"Don't say that," said Rapunzel, her eyes shimmering with tears.

 _So much sorrow_ , Elsa thought, _so much despair, all because one man wants power for himself._

"Do you think we'll see them again?" Elsa asked softly. She didn't need to tell Rapunzel who she was talking about. The room was beginning to swim out of focus again, and she felt herself become weaker and weaker. She felt as if she'd become the pain she was feeling.

"Of course we'll see them again, El'" said Rapunzel, as she laid Elsa's head on her folded knees. "Anna, Jack, Eugene, Kristoff… we'll see all of them again."

"Do you think Jack will hate me for what I did?" she asked weakly.

She didn't hear Rapunzel's answer as she sank into darkness.

…

Jack blinked as he stepped out to the other side of the portal. He'd been one of the last to come through. He looked around.

They were in what seemed like a huge forest, the trees high enough that they seemed to touch the swirling clouds overhead. It was night-time, and the darkness was nearly complete- the branches of the trees hiding the moon from view although Jack would have liked to see it. The Man- or more precisely, woman- in the Moon would have given him courage. He looked around at the soldiers. Though they were many, they all seemed to be as quiet as possible. They'd already begun to set up camp, although no fires were lit, as they would attract attention.

A circle of white light opened beside him, and Eugene stepped out of a portal.

"Remember what I said," he told Jack. "We're only a few miles from them. We'll see them soon."

"Can I just fly up?" asked Jack, though they both knew he wasn't really asking for permission. "I promise I won't go to the palace. I'll just see it."

Eugene sighed.

"Fine," he said, "As long as you're careful not to be seen."

Jack barely took the time to nod before he kicked off from the ground. He spiralled upwards, he was nearly above the thick leaves of the trees-

Suddenly, he was above the forest. A faint breeze played in his hair as he looked around himself.

He saw that the forest's thick trees formed a crown around a tall hill, at the top of which was a sumptuous castle, lights shining out of its every window. No-one could have guessed that behind those walls, horrible events were taking place.

The Summer Palace.

Elsa was somewhere inside, he thought. And soon, he would go inside that treacherous place, and go get her himself.

Soon.


	25. Winter's Memory

_**Note:** Hey everyone! So, of course this is late, hope you won't mind TOO MUCH. Hope you still like this story, and please leave a review so I know what you all think. Have a great day/night!_

 **Chapter 25: Winter** **'** **s Memory**

"We're not launching an attack on the castle with Elsa and Rapunzel still inside," said Jack sharply. They were in Eugene's tent- as he was commander in Elsa's absence, his tent was the biggest. Eleanor and Gregory were there too, amassed around the table.

"Of course we're not," frowned Eugene.

"Well, that was what he was suggesting," blurted Jack angrily, gesturing towards Gregory with his staff, who-wisely- took a step back.

It had been a day- a _whole day_ \- since they'd arrived. The sun was beginning to set over the forest, the only light in the tent coming from candles.

"It would mean that we'd have the element of surprise," said Gregory. "If two of their prisoners disappear during the night- my guess is, our presence won't stay inconspicuous for long."

"I don't care about our presence staying inconspicuous," said Jack, gritting his teeth. "You've asked me to wait, and I've waited. I won't let Pitch continue detaining Elsa doing who knows what-"

"Besides," intervened Eugene calmly, "Leaving Elsa and Rapunzel inside the castle will give them leverage if we go inside."

"Anyway, we're not leaving them inside a second more than necessary."

Gregory turned towards Eleanor. She'd spoken the words with such conviction that even Eugene was looking at her in surprise.

"But-"

She shifted to grab Gregory's hand, her red hair glinting in the candlelight.

"Have you forgotten what they did for us?" she whispered to him, loud enough so that they could hear her but quietly enough to show that the words were only meant for Gregory. "Elsa saved me when I was running away from your father- she reunited us, gave us refuge in Arendelle, far away from the King and your brothers-"

Gregory bowed his head, squeezing Eleanor's hand in his own.

"Of course," he said finally, and Jack's shoulders slumped, "We'll get them out before we attack."

"Tonight," said Jack. They all turned towards him.

"Tonight?" repeated Gregory. "But- we haven't planned anything."

"Oh, I have a plan," said Jack, "Fly in, grab them, get out."

"It's not that simple, Jack," groaned Gregory. "The dungeons of the Summer Palace are a true labyrinth if you don't know how to navigate them-"

"I can manage," said Jack. "And I'm going, tonight."

Gregory huffed in exasperation, crossing his arms over his chest as he appraised the white-haired Spirit of Winter, who, in that precise moment, looked more stubborn than Eleanor herself.

"And nothing I say will make you change your mind?"

"No."

"At least let me come with you," Gregory said. "Or you'll get lost in the dungeons."

"And I'm going too," intervened Eugene. "You're both completely mad if you think I'm staying here while you go save my wife."

"I can't carry the both of you. I don't even know if I can carry Gregory," he said, taking in Gregory's broad shoulders and muscular chest. "No offence."

"None taken," said Gregory, smiling weakly. "You'll have to, though."

"I am not staying here," growled Eugene. "If it was Eleanor in there, you wouldn't stay here either-"

"No, I wouldn't, because I wouldn't be thinking straight," retorted Gregory. "That's why you have to stay here, with Eleanor and the soldiers."

Eugene turned his imploring eyes to Jack, who looked away, repressing the twinge of guilt in his stomach.

"I'm sorry Eugene," he said, still carefully avoiding his friend's accusatory stare, "But I can't carry the both of you in the castle. And we can't leave the soldiers here alone in the forest."

"I'll stay with you," said Eleanor, her brown eyes glinting as she laid an arm on Eugene's. "They'll be back in a moment-"

"An hour," said Gregory. "Two, at most."

"As soon as the sun sets," Jack nodded, this time looking directly at Eugene. His shoulders tense, Eugene turned his gaze from Jack to Gregory and back again.

"Fine," he huffed finally, throwing his arms upwards in defeat. "But you'd better bring my wife back alive."

"I promise," nodded Jack.

"That's all fine and well," said Eleanor, "But if Jack carries Gregory in- how is he carry the three of you out?"

"Jack will get us in," said Gregory, taking Eleanor's hand. "I'll get us out."

…

" _Elsa_ ," hissed Rapunzel.

Elsa shifted in her deep sleep. She wasn't dreaming- she felt as if she was floating in a sea of roiling darkness.

When her cousin called her name again, Elsa groaned, and slowly opened her eyes. The circular dungeon room swam into view, and she instantly wishes sleep could take her again.

"What is it?" she whispered. A jolt of pain ran through her stomach, and she bent over, the room spinning. Only Rapunzel's hand, gripped tightly around her arm, kept her tethered to reality.

"Please don't throw up again," whispered Rapunzel urgently. "I've cleaned up everything before Pitch could see, and changed your dress-"

Elsa looked down at herself. Her ice dress was gone, replaced by a white shift, the kind you wore _under_ dresses. She shivered, the material of the 'dress' barely thin enough to hide her goosebumps.

"I know it's not much," said Rapunzel, "But it was all Hans could find and take without bringing attention on himself. But Elsa wasn't listening, instead looking down at her stomach, one hand splayed on it.

"The- the child?" she croaked. Rapunzel fell silent, but her hand squeezed Elsa's arm.

"It's gone," she said, finally. Elsa bowed her head, and swallowed forcefully. She hadn't realized it, until she'd had to part with the being growing inside her, that having a child- with Jack-

 _No use thinking like this now._

"What time is it?" she said, sweeping her unbound blond hair behind her ear and lifting her head.

"I don't know," said Rapunzel, letting her hand drop. Elsa risked a glance at Rapunzel's other hand.

It was still there, though mangled and matted with blood. Maybe, when they got out of here, they could tend to it- maybe it could be intact again-

 _If we get out of here,_ a voice whispered, that Elsa hurried to block out. Losing hope now was like handing a knife for Pitch to plunge into both their hearts.

"Hans hasn't checked on us for hours," said Rapunzel. "I think it must be nearing dusk."

"Pitch hasn't come?"

"Hans has been… distracting him."

Elsa tried to sit up higher, and Rapunzel helped her, so that she was now leaning against the cold stone wall, savouring its icy touch. She felt as if her skin was on fire. Another jolt of intense pain shook her body, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying out.

"Where does it hurt?" Rapunzel asked. "You have a fever."

"I'm fine," she said, waving a hand. "We have more important things to worry about. Do you really think we can trust Hans?"

"Yes," whispered Rapunzel. "Does your stomach hurt?"

Elsa nodded, with a quick jerk of the head that informed Rapunzel that she didn't want to talk about this now. Talking about the pain that was everywhere, as if it flowed in her very veins, would only make it worse. And she hated to be in this state, barely capable of moving, let alone run, when she was in such a vulnerable position.

"Elsa, it's important that you feel well enough," said Rapunzel, still whispering.

"Why?" she snapped. "I'm sorry," she added quickly, her voice softening. "I'm on edge."

"Understandably," said Rapunzel, cocking an eyebrow before giving the door an uneasy glance. She leaned towards Elsa, though they were alone, and whispered so quietly that Elsa barely heard her.

"Tonight is the prince's birthday," she said in her ear.

"Rapunzel, I don't think they'll invite us to partake in the festivities," said Elsa.

"I know," she said, rolling her eyes. "But everyone will be either drinking, dancing or- entertaining themselves. Our cell will only be guarded by one guard, tonight."

"Are you saying- we should-"

"Hans promised that when everyone will be drunk enough, he'll come down and open the door for us. Then, we'll just have to find an exit-"

"And get out," finished Elsa. Despite the pain, a smile had tentatively appeared on her face.

"We'll steal horses, and gallop to Arendelle as fast as they can go," continued Rapunzel.

"What about Pitch?" said Elsa. "I don't see him drinking himself to oblivion. Why would he take part in the prince's birthday?"

"Hans said he was away from the castle."

Elsa didn't like how much this plan relied on Hans' word. As if reading her mind, Rapunzel shook her head.

"We have no choice _but_ to trust him. We might have a chance to get out of here, to go back to Eugene and Jack."

Before Elsa could answer, the door creaked open, and Elsa looked up to find Hans entering and closing the door behind him.

"The festivities haven't started yet," he said, not looking twice at either of them. Elsa saw his hands were shaking as he thrust them into his pocket.

"Don't the guards see you, when you come?" she asked.

"I'm the Prince," he said simply, as if that was explanation enough. "Now, take this."

He thrust a chain of three keys into her hand.

"That's the key to open your cell," he said, showing her a small, dirty iron key. "When you get out, go left until you arrive to a stairwell. Go down-"

"Down? Isn't the way out going to be up?"

"Just listen," Hans snapped, glancing worriedly over his shoulder. "My brothers will notice I'm gone, I don't have much time."

He gave the both of them a pointed look, and though Rapunzel looked as if she wanted to snap something rude at him, she didn't.

"Thank you," he said. "Go down, there's a passageway that will lead you right out of the castle. It's hidden, but I've marked the way with chalk. Those two keys will open the two doors on your way."

He stood up again, pressing down on his thigh.

"I have to go."

"When are we supposed to know when to leave?" asked Elsa.

"The sun will set in an hour and a half," said Hans. "Everyone will be drunk by then. I'll come down and tell the guards in the dungeons that there's been a brawl and they're needed upstairs. When you hear them go, you don't waste time- you open the door and you _run_."

They didn't have the time to nod- the door swung shut behind Hans' back.

…

The window was wide open, and Jack's feet gratefully touched the stone ground.

He'd spent the whole afternoon watching as the sun slowly- so _damn_ slowly- sunk towards the horizon.

But finally, it had been time to go.

The flight to the palace had been uncomfortable, even if more than half of Gregory's weight was carried by the wind. The feeling of the Southern Prince clinging to him in terror somehow hadn't had the same effect Elsa's grip had.

"Never again," said Gregory hoarsely, shaking all over. He gripped the wall, breathing heavily. Jack would have smiled, if he wasn't straining so much to listen.

They were in a dark corridor, the window they'd come through the only one of the whole passage. Jack judged they were near the central rooms of the castle. Music wafted to their ears, and the smell of a feast made his stomach growl.

"Partying, are they?" he asked Gregory, disgusted. The prince left the wall's support, a little colour returning to his face- his eyes were wide.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," he said quietly, shaking his head. "I- I forgot it was my brother's birthday today."

"Which one?" said Jack, turning away from the prince to study their surroundings. He hoped they weren't far from the dungeons- if that was where they kept Elsa and Rapunzel. If they weren't there-

 _Well_ , he thought grimly, _I_ _'_ _ll have to turn this castle upside-down._

"The eldest," answered Gregory. He seemed to come back to his senses. "The dungeons are this way."

…

Elsa gasped awake, her eyes flying open, and Rapunzel stopped shaking her body.

"I think they're going," she said. Instantly, Elsa felt as if she was wide awake. Rapunzel was huddled against the wooden door, one ear tilted towards the exterior. Elsa tried to stand up, her legs trembling underneath her and barely able to support her weight. She wobbled over to the door, and listened with bated breath.

Sure enough, she could hear Hans' muffled voices and footsteps, going, going, going… gone.

She looked at Rapunzel, her cousin's breath-taking green eyes meeting her own blue ones. She nodded.

As if the movement had snapped an invisible leash, Rapunzel thrust the key inside the lock, her hands trembling. She turned the key, and Elsa realized that the both of them were holding their breaths.

The door swung open.

…

Elsa's legs were still weak, but she couldn't feel it anymore. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as they stepped out into the stone corridor, and Rapunzel seized her hand, holding it tightly.

Her cousin pulled her forwards. They advanced slowly, and Elsa stretched her ears, listening for the sounds of approaching footsteps.

They reached the end of the corridor, and Rapunzel pushed open the door slowly. They cringed as its hinges screeched as it opened.

They waited, not daring to move; when they heard no footsteps coming to investigate the sound, they slipped out. Rapunzel looked right, before pulling Elsa left.

Elsa could hear the beating of her heart in her ears, the sound of her breathing the only one in the corridor. A jolt of pain coursed through her stomach, but Elsa kept her mouth clamped shut, swallowing back her groan. Darkness seemed to float at the edge of her vision.

She couldn't pass out now.

Even though the dark corridor seemed to tilt and swerve beneath her naked feet. Her white shift floated around her ankles, and she could feel her blonde hair against her shoulders.

Funny how, when you're in mortal danger, your mind concentrates on the little things- committing them to memory.

She stumbled, but Rapunzel was there to catch her.

"We're nearly there," she whispered into her hair.

…

Jack and Gregory crept along the wall of the corridor. Gregory had insisted so vehemently that they do their best to keep out of sight, Jack hadn't dared remind him that he would be invisible to any guards.

"Yes, yes, check on the prisoners, of course-"

They froze, and Jack gripped his staff tightly. That voice… sounded so familiar…

"No, I'll do it," said the voice, in a somewhat annoyed tone, "You go upstairs and enjoy the festivities."

"But, your Royal Highness-"

 _'_ _Your brother?_ _'_ mouthed Jack. Gregory didn't answer.

" _I_ will go and check on the prisoners," snapped the voice. "I intend to… take my pleasure with them. Alone."

Jack stiffened.

 _Take my pleasure with them._

If he was suggesting what Jack thought he was-

He was going to tear him limb from limb.

"Very well, your Highness. I will patrol, then."

There was the sound of scuffling retreating footsteps. A breath. Then, footsteps again- this time, coming towards them.

Gregory seized Jack's arm, his eyes so wide that he didn't need to speak for Jack to understand- _he mustn_ _'_ _t see us._

But the footsteps kept going along the corridor, not pausing- Jack and Gregory didn't dare breathe until they heard them slowly start fading away.

"We have to hurry," said Jack, stepping away from Gregory and towards the footsteps. "You heard him."

Gregory nodded, following his brother's footsteps. They arrived in the passage the footsteps had gone down- it was illuminated by torches, the firelight glistening in Gregory's red hair.

"Which brother was that?" asked Jack, whispering. He could nearly discern, at the end of the passage, the prince's- whichever one it was- retreating form. Gregory paused.

"Hans."

If there wasn't such a pressing urgency that seemed to have taken permanent residence in Jack's steps, he probably would have stopped.

" _The_ Hans?" he asked. "The tried-to-kill-Anna-and-Elsa-to-become-king-of-Arendelle Hans?"

"How many do you know?" snapped Gregory.

 _If I get my hands on that bastard-_

"Stop," said Gregory, putting a hand out, halting Jack.

They watched silently as Hans opened a great wooden door, revealing a glimpse of a small circular room beyond. He shut the door behind him.

"I'm not going to wait here while he tries to assault Elsa and Rapunzel!" hissed Jack angrily, trying to side-step Gregory.

"Something's wrong," said Gregory, frowning. Immediately, Jack tensed. "There should be more guards," he whispered. "And we should hear them speak. Knowing Elsa, I think she would have a few words of choice for Hans if he were trying to-"

"I'm going in," said Jack, passing Gregory and making his way towards the cell.

"Jack!" called Gregory angrily, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. But Jack wasn't listening.

"It might be a trap!"

"I. Don't. _Care_ ," Jack said, whirling around. Frost appeared on the walls. "I'd rather be in Pitch's hand than take the risk that Elsa is in there with your scumbag of a brother!"

Before Gregory could respond, Jack turned towards the door again. His feet lifted an inch from the ground, and a gust of wind picked up, shooting him forward, forward, forward…

He burst through the door.

To find only Hans, sitting, alone.

…

Hans snapped his head up at the sound of Jack crashing into the room.

"You," he said. There was no animosity, just plain astonishment. Jack didn't even pause on the information that he could see him- a distant part of his mind told him that Pitch had probably warned them about him.

A part of his mind that was silenced by the roaring in his ears.

"Where are they?" Jack growled, raising his staff slowly so that the crook pointed towards Hans. "What have you done with them?"

"They escaped," said Hans. "I helped them escape."

"What?"

It wasn't Jack who had spoken- Gregory entered the room, looking stunned. Hans' jaws became slack as he beheld his brother.

"Greg," he breathed.

"That's Gregory, to you."

There was a silence before Hans answered. Then: "I suppose I deserved that."

"Where are they?" said Gregory, not missing a beat. Jack knew he was listening for guards. What if he'd been right? What if it _was_ a trap?

"Hopefully, far away from here by now," said Hans, his eyes not leaving his brother's face. "Gregory- when Father told me that you weren't coming home and that you were with Eleanor-"

"They _escaped_?" interrupted Jack. A tearful reunion could wait. Right now, he couldn't even think straight. He felt as if his heart was beating furiously fast.

"I slipped them a key," said Hans.

" _You_ slipped them-"

"I'm not on their side, Gregory," whispered Hans hurriedly.

"I have some trouble believing that," snarled Gregory. "I have some very clear souvenirs of you trying to assemble a child army."

"I was lost," he said, bowing his head. "I didn't know what I was doing. What kind of evil inhabited our father's heart."

"The same kind that inhabits yours," spat Gregory. A flash of hurt crossed Hans' eyes.

"I'm sorry, Greg," he said, his voice hushed, so low that Jack could barely hear him. "I wish- If I could do it all again-"

Gregory's tense shoulders seemed to slump, as the fallen prince watched his smaller brother. All trace of rage seeped from his face.

Then, a piercing scream split through the air.

Jack's head whipped around.

"LET GO!"

He would recognize that voice anywhere.

He began running.

…

"STOP!" shouted a voice behind them, but they didn't, sprinting as fast as they could down the corridor.

"Rapunzel," said Elsa, her breathing becoming shallow. She stumbled again, and almost fell to her knees. Rapunzel put one hand around her shoulders, her green eyes shining with panic. "Rapunzel, you're not going to make it out with me- just leave me here, I'll be fine, I'll find a way-"

"Don't be stupid," panted Rapunzel. Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, trying to contain the wave of nausea that coursed through her.

" _You_ don't be stupid," said Elsa, opening her eyes. "They're catching up with us-"

"Elsa, I'm not leaving without you- Either we're both free, or we'll both be imprisoned. But I _refuse_ to leave you here. Now, shut up so I can concentrate-"

But before Rapunzel could finish her sentence, Elsa felt a fist enclose around her elbow and pull her back, tearing her from Rapunzel.

"Let us GO-" said Rapunzel as two guards seized her arms. She kicked and thrashed. Elsa barely managed to retain consciousness.

"If you don't stop moving, you Coronian bitch, I swear-"

If only she could use her powers… but she was so tired, and so, so weak…

She didn't even see the dagger, only the glimmer of the torchlight reflected on its blade. She barely saw it even as it plunged into her cousin's abdomen.

What she did see, however, was the blood.

Rapunzel's blood.

The red liquid dripped onto the floor, traversing her dirty dress-

"Let go of her!" screamed Elsa, and suddenly, she was fighting, she was thrashing.

Rapunzel couldn't be dead, couldn't _possibly_ be dead-

Her body thumped to the ground.

No. _No._ Anything, _anything,_ but this-

"LET GO!" she screamed.

The emptiness inside her, ever since she'd swallowed that dreadful poison-

Suddenly, there was a pit of rage, of fire-

 _No_ , she thought, _Not of fire. Ice._

She exploded.

The guards were no match for her. No-one was a match for her, for what she could do.

Spiked erupted from the stone floor. With a scream of rage, of deep, deep despair, she raised her hands.

They were surrounded by ice. It was on the floor, on the walls. The guards gripped their swords, slicing at it, but it was harder than steel-

One spike pierced one guard through the head, he fell to the floor. The one that was holding her slackened his grip. That was all she needed, and she thrust him away from her, an icy wind projecting him against the wall. She fell to her knees, her hands trembling madly as she crawled to Rapunzel, the snowstorm carrying on around them. There were five guards, she thought, as she grabbed Rapunzel's hand. But with all the noise they were making, it was a miracle the whole castle wasn't running down to murder them.

"Rapunzel," she whispered. "Come on, open your eyes- we have to get out of here. You said we'd get out of here _together_ -"

She heard shouts from behind her, and she threw a glance behind her shoulder. The torches had been extinguished, snow was spiralling around them, she couldn't see a thing-

"If you come closer," she shouted above the whistling wind, "I swear I'll kill you!"

" _What_?" shouted back a voice, outraged. "And here I was, thinking we were getting along just fine!"

It wasn't possible.

A sob escaped her. She stood up, the wind still tearing at her white shift, her hair flapping around her.

"Jack?" she called, tears running down her face.

"You're going to have to stop that wind, Snowflake!" shouted Jack. "Or I can't reach you."

She felt as if she was trembling all over, and she covered her mouth with her hand. If this was an illusion-

"How do I know it's you?" she shouted. "And not a cruel trick?"

"Elsa," she heard him shout, his voice exasperated. If only she could just _see_ him, then she'd know, without a doubt-

"Tell me something only you would know!" she screamed above the wind. "Or I'll attack!"

This could be Pitch Black. The probability that Jack was there-

There was a pause.

Elsa waited, her breath becoming mist.

"The day I met you," shouted Jack, his voice echoing down towards her ears. "You were wearing a blue dress. You looked beautiful. I came up to you in the gardens- you were searching for your tiara, that had fallen from your head- and you knocked me out."

"Any spy would know that!"

"I flew into your room when you were getting dressed," Jack's voice wafted to her ears. "You compared me to a cockroach!"

The wind died down a little.

"I remember when we danced, and you told me about that room that they used to lock you in- I remember when you woke up from a nightmare, and I kept you close to me- I remember when I kissed you for the first time."

Elsa closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, the cold seeping into her shoulders.

"You'd just stood up to the counsellors, and you were laughing…"

Snowflakes now floated in the air, as if they'd been frozen. If she squinted her eyes, she could see two figures at the end of the corridor.

"I remember how it felt, when you told me you didn't want to be with me, even though I knew you did. I remember when I decided to come back- and you were being dragged away by a man- I will _always_ remember the anger I felt, and the fierce joy when you told me you wanted to be with me. And since that day, even though we've been through so much, you've brought me so much happiness, Elsa. So much."

The wind stopped howling, and suddenly she could see him, clearer than ever, his white hair a mess, his blue eyes shining.

"I will remember every second of my time with you," whispered Jack, "For the rest of my life."

She stood in stunned silence, her mouth dry.

"Now I don't think that's something Pitch would say," said Jack, flashing her a grin as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Her mouth stretched into a smile, and a breathy laugh escaped her.

"No," she said, "I don't think so either."

Then, they were both running, Jack's staff falling from his grasp, hitting the floor with a dull _thud_ , and she swung her arms around his neck, and she felt his hands wrapping around the small of her back, as he lifted her up, her feet leaving the ground- she could feel tears on her cheeks, and she didn't know if they were hers or his-

"I love you," he said, "So much."

She gasped a sound that sounded like a laugh and a sob, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

"I love you too," she whispered. "More than anything in the world."

…

Jack carried Elsa into the tent, her body completely limp. He cradled her against his chest. He couldn't believe she was there, in his arms. Even _if_ she was unconscious.

Gregory followed, Rapunzel in his arms.

"Rapunzel!" gasped Eugene, hurtling forward, and taking the princess from Gregory's arm. Jack watched as his eyes fell to her bloody dress.

"She's still alive," said Gregory, as Eugene's eyes filled with horror. "We need a doctor, for them both. _Now._ "

…

Elsa kept her eyes shut, concentrating on her breathing. She listened to the sounds around her.

She heard what sounded like the crackling of flames. She was somewhere warm, somewhere that felt- safe.

She stretched her palm out onto the mattress beneath her. It was comfortable, _definitely_ not made out of straw.

She opened her eyes.

Someone had changed her clothes so that she was covered in a clean white nightgown. Her head was laid on the pillow, and thick covers covered her. She blinked away the tiredness from her eyes and sat up, looking around.

She was in the large square room of a tent. Carpets covered the wooden floor, which had been installed. The flap was closed, and she could hear no sound around the tent.

A fire warmed the tent, inside a pile of stones. The bed was covered with a white sheet and a dark red thick blanket.

Her eyes fell on the chair beside her bed. Jack was fast asleep, his head on his crossed arms over her bed. She smiled tenderly as she relaxed, watching him.

She was safe. With Jack.

Then, she remembered Rapunzel's limp form, and she felt her pulse accelerate. She hated to wake him- he looked so peaceful- but she had to know.

She had to know if-if Rapunzel was-

She ran a hand through his shock of white hair. Gently, he stirred, opening one eye, then another. Her hand descended to his cheek, and he leaned into the touch.

"Hi," she said, whispering softly. He smiled sleepily, kissing her hand.

"Hi," he whispered back. He raised his hand to take her own, squeezing it as he raised his head.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Nearly four days," he breathed, and her eyes widened. "You were in a pretty bad shape."

"Rapunzel?" she asked, looking around as if her cousin would suddenly appear inside the tent.

"She's fine," said Jack. "She lost a lot of blood, but no vital organs were damaged beyond repair."

Elsa bowed her head as a surge of relief coursed through her.

Rapunzel was alive. She was going to be fine.

"I have something to tell you," she said, raising her head. "But I'm scared you're going to hate me."

He was still holding her hand, and she found she couldn't look him in the eye.

If he'd known about the baby… would he have wanted it? Would he have wanted to be the father of her child?

"Rapunzel told me everything," he whispered, and Elsa's head snapped up, their eyes meeting.

"Everything?" she repeated.

"What Pitch threatened to do, with our child-"

 _Our child._

She found that there was a lump in her throat, and she tried hard to swallow it back. She had enough of crying.

"I'm sorry, Jack," she murmured, closing her eyes and turning her face away from him. "I was so scared of the way he was about to use- our- the baby-"

"Elsa," he interrupted her. "There's nothing to forgive."

"But- but I- _kill_ -"

"No, you didn't," he said calmly. "At that stage, the heart wasn't even completely formed yet."

"But still-"

" _Elsa_ ," he said, and she stopped talking. He grasped both of her hands in his. "I understand why you had to do it. I won't deny I wasn't- devastated, but I understand."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"There's nothing to forgive," he murmured, sitting on the bed and pulling her to him, putting her head on his chest as he rested his chin on her hair. "And even if there was- Elsa, I've already forgiven all that you could possibly do."

"Would you have wanted it?" she asked, as she wrapped her arms around his back, resting against him. He didn't answer immediately.

"The day you give me a child," he started, stroking her unbound hair, "Will be the happiest day of my life."

"But?" she said, pulling away from him, so as to look him in the face.

"But," he conceded, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I want to do it properly."

"Properly?"

"Elsa," he said, chuckling softly, "Once we're done with this war, I plan to do the whole damn package. I want to travel the world with you. I want to _marry_ you. Live with you. Then, when we're ready- of course I want kids with you."

She said nothing, staring at him mutely.

"Since Pitch took you- I can't even describe-" his voice broke, and suddenly she had put her fingers on his jaw. He shook his head, his eyes filled with something that can't be described. But she understood what he couldn't stay.

"I love you," he said, and somewhere in the back of her mind she realized this was the second time he'd ever said the words to her. She rested her forehead on his.

"The whole deal then?" she said, smiling. "That's really what you want?"

"Being with you," he said, and it was his turn to rest his hands on her cheeks, "Is what I want. More than anything."

"So," she said, racking her throat, "This was your idea of a proposal?"

There was a silence. Then-

He roared out laughing.

She chuckled as she watched him laugh himself hoarse. When he finally stopped, still grinning widely, he looked at her.

"Yes," he said, "That was my idea of a proposal."

She leant forward at the precise instant he did- their lips crashed together, her hands in his hair as he held her face between his hands. Her palm slid from his hair to his sweatshirt, that she used to pull him against her. She felt him smile on her lips, before leaning forward, so that she was laying down. He swung his legs onto the bed, so that he was now above her, kissing her, loving her-

"I don't think," he said, breaking his lips away, "That's reasonable."

"What?" she said, her breathing quick as she frowned up at him.

"Your injuries," he said. "The doctor said that you shouldn't be exposed to- activity."

"I don't care," she said roughly, raising her head to catch his lips with her own.

"Ah," he said, avoiding her, "But I do. And as much as I want you, your health is more important than-"

"Oh fine," she snapped. "For someone who wants to marry me, you're not showing as much motivation-"

She was interrupted as he bent to kiss her. It was a slow kiss, that left her hungry for more.

"Trust me, Snowflake," he whispered, "When you can walk again, I'll show you how- _motivated-_ I am."

He was delighted to see her blush.

…

Two hours later, Jack laid in bed, Elsa's head against his chest. He couldn't believe she was there- in his arms- safe. With him.

The silence around the camp was complete, except for the owl's that hooted around the forest. Yet, he couldn't quite find sleep.

"Elsa?" he whispered tentatively. He felt her shift against him.

"What is it?" she said, yawning sleepily. "It's the middle of the night."

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"You know," he chuckled, "My proposal."

"That's because you didn't actually _ask_ the question, Jack. I'm Queen you know, I need a _clear_ question."

He laughed quietly and felt her lips curve into a smile.

"Fine," he said in mock-exasperation. "I'll ask Her Majesty _clearly_ , then."

Elsa sat up, looking down at him. He stroked her arm, taking his time, making her wait.

"I love you," he said finally. "I wish I was a poet, or a writer but- I'm just the Spirit of Winter. I'm not going to make you any beautiful speeches, because you already know how I feel about you."

Another pause. Then-

"Will you marry me?"

Though it was dark, Jack knew she was smiling, her tired eyes glistening.

"Just the Spirit of Winter?" she repeated, the laughter evident in her voice.

"Answer the damn question," he said, pulling her to him so suddenly that she gave a little scream. They were now chest-to-chest, their legs tangled together. He could feel her breath against his cheek. She laughed, before bending to kiss him.

"Of course I'll marry you."


End file.
